384 LETTER LX, 



grow to an enormous size, and are objects of terror 

 rather than that of curiosity. 



THE BOA, OR LI BOY A, 



of the torrid zene, is frequently found in the island of 

 Java, and several other parts of the East-Indies ; as 

 also in Brasil, and some other countries of South 

 America. 



This enormous reptile, which includes several spe- 

 cies, nil of them terrible from their magnitude and 

 strength, but destitute of venom, is generally of thirty 

 feet long, and of a proportionable thickness : its co- 

 lour is of a dusky white, variously spotted. The scales 

 are round, small, and smooth. 



These formidable serpents lie hid in thickets, 

 whence they sally out unawares, and, raising them- 

 selves upright on their tails, attack both man and 

 every animal without distinction. In a letter printed 

 in the German Ephemerides, we have an account of 

 the seizure of a buflalo by one of these enormous 

 reptiles. The serpent had been waiting seme time 

 near the brink of a pool, in expectation of its prey, 

 when a buffalo was the first victim that presented it- 

 self. Having darted upon the animal, it instantly 

 began to wrap round it with its voluminous twistings; 

 and at- every twist the bones of the buffalo were heard 

 to crack. The poor animal struggled and bellowed ; 

 but its terrible enemy encircled it too closely to suf- 

 fer it to get free, till at length all its bones being 

 crushed to pieces, and the whole body reduced to an 

 uniform mass, the serpent untwined its folds in order 

 to swallow it at leisure. i To prepare for this, it was 

 seen to lick the body all over, and thus cover it with 

 its mucus, to make it slip down more readily. It their 

 began to swallow the buffalo; and its body dilating 

 itself to receive it, the monstrous serpent took it in at 

 one morsel, a creature three times as thick as itself, 

 These terrible reptiles are sometimes found with 

 the body of a stag in their gullet, and the horns, 

 which they are not able to swallow, sticking out of 

 their mouth. When the serpent has thus swallowed 

 a, stag> a tyger, or any other large animal., it is for 



