52 _ Pwo-Headed Snakes. 
Cee a ag of the species, there is no evidence 
A procreating association, or union of male 
and female ‘parents, has never been observed. because such 
connexions do not exist. The birth and parentage of these 
strange and enormous productions, have been hitherto un- 
known; because, until Dr Voight’s important disclosure, 
nota naturalist could tell whence they came. 
own judgment on the case under consideration, i is, that 
the miscreated and extraordinary constitution of the three 
young black snakes is owing to monstrosity ; and by a simi- 
lar anomaly in nature to that which — produces 
monsters in the black snake, they may be engendered in other 
serpents belonging to the numerous species of Coluber. 
Ifit should be asked, wherefore it happens that two-head- 
ed monsters are more frequent among serpents than other 
animals, it may be answered that this is very far from being 
ascertained and established. Two-headed births are by no 
means uncommon in other creatures; among which may be 
enumerated dogs, cais, swine, sheep, kine, and even the hu- 
man race. Generally they are still-born, or very short 
lived ; mei by reason of their hideous and disgusting shapes, 
are soon removed from sight. 
The like happens to other animals; and, among the ovi- 
pareus elass, to poultry, and domesticated birds. 
two-headed monsters usually die soon after hatching. - 
I have heard of a two-headed tortoise (Testudo,) that lived 
to acquire a considerable size, by having taken food at both 
mouths. 
Two- “headed serpents, hitherto, seem to have been of small 
or diminutive size; leading toa belief that their organiza- 
tion, which allowed them to live and enlarge for a short 
term, or aseason, forbade them to reach entire eepention, 
and o:d. 
Serpents are destitute of limbs, and are consequently in- 
capable of monstrosity, in feet, legs, hands, and a either 
by defect, redundancy, or malformation, when p 
therefore, monstrosity must be in the head or tail, and the 
head is most frequently the seat of it. 
The prominent peculiarity in these monsters, is that they 
can continue alive so long, that they can receive and con- 
coct food, and that they can thereby be nourished, and ac- 
quire balk. It is to those qualities differing from the gene- 
