428 



HISTORY OF FROGS, LIZARDS, AND SERPENTS. 



and among bushes in moist places ; from 

 whence they seldom remove, unless in the 

 midst of the day in summer ; when they are 

 called out by the heat to bask themselves in 

 the sun. If disturbed or attacked, they move 

 away among the brambles with great swift- 

 ness ; but if too closely pursued, they hiss arid 

 threaten, and thus render themselves formid- 

 able, though incapable of offending. 1 



The black snake preys upon frogs, insects, 

 worms, mice, and young birds: and, consider- 

 ing the smallness of the neck, it is amazing 

 how large an animal it will swallow. The 

 black snake of Virginia, which is larger than 

 ours, and generally grows to six feet long, 

 takes a prey proportionable to its size ; par- 

 tridges, chickens, and young ducks. It is ge- 

 nerally found in the neighbourhood of the hen- 

 roost, and will devour the eggs even while the 

 hen is sitting upon them : these it swallows 

 whole ; and often, after it has done the mis- 

 chief, will coil itself round in the nest. 



The whole of this tribe are oviparous, ex- 

 cluding eighty or a hundred eggs at a time, 

 which are laid in dunghills or hot-beds ; the 

 heat of which, aided by that of the sun, brings 

 them to maturity. During winter they lie 

 torpid, in banks or hedges, and under old trees. 



The Blind Worm is another harmless rep- 





1 This snake, though not poisonous, is sometimes bold 

 enough to attack a man, but may be driven off' by a smart 

 stroke from a stick, or whatever weapon he may chance 

 to have in his hand. When it overtakes a person who 

 has endeavoured to escape, (not having had courage enough 

 to oppose it,) it is said to wind itself round his legs in 

 such a manner as to throw him down, and then to bite 

 him several times in the leg, or whatever it can lay hold 

 of, and run off again. 



The black snake is very greedy of milk, and it is diffi- 

 cult to keep it out when once it is accustomed to get into 

 a cellar where milk is kept. It has been seen taking 

 milk out of the same' dish with the children without bit- 

 ing them, though they often gave it blows with their 

 spoons upon the head when it was too greedy. 



These snakes are, however, found extremely useful in 

 America in clearing houses of rats, which they pursue 

 with wonderful agility, even to the very roofs of barns 

 and out-houses ; for which good services they are cher- 

 ished by the generality of the Americans, who are at 

 great pains to preserve and multiply the breed. 



There are many species and varieties of this genus of 

 eryeuts, which it would be tedious to enumerate. 



tile, with a formidable appearance. The usual 

 length of this species is eleven inches. The 

 eyes are red ; the head small ; the neck still 

 more slender ; from that part the body grows 

 suddenly, and continues of an equal bulk to 

 the tail, which ends quite blunt : the colour of 

 the back is cinereous, marked with very sma'll 

 lines, composed of minute black specks ; the 

 sides are of a reddish cast ; the belly dusky , 

 and marked like the back. The motion of 

 this serpent is slow ; from which, and from 

 the smallness of the eyes, are derived its 

 names ; some calling it the slow, and some the 

 blind worm. Like all the rest of the kind in 

 our climates, they lie torpid during winter ; 

 and are sometimes found in vast numbers, 

 twisted together. This animal, like the for- 

 mer, is perfectly innocent ; however, like the 

 viper, it brings forth its young alive. Ges- 

 ner tells us, that one of these being struck on 

 the forehead when it was pregnant, it imme- 

 diately cast forth its young. 



The Amphisbasna, or the Double Headed 

 Serpent, is remarkable for moving along with 

 either the head, or the tail foremost ; and from 

 thence it has been thought to have two heads. 2 

 This error took its rise from the thickness of 

 the tail, which, at a distance, may be 

 mistaken for another head. Upon a nearer 

 view, however, the error is easily discov- 

 ered, and the animal will be found formed 

 according to the usual course of nature. It is 

 as thick at one end as at the other ; and the 

 colour of the skin is like that of the earth, being 

 rough, hard, and variously spotted. Some 

 have affirmed that its bite is dangerous ; but 

 this must be a mistake, as it wants the fangs, 

 and, consequently, the elaboratory that pre- 

 pares the poison. 



These animals are only formidable from 

 their similitude to the viper tribe. In some 



a Amphisbaena literally signifies double -walker, and 

 was applied to these animals because they can move both 

 backwards and forwards. The amphisbaeiie of modern 

 naturalists all belong to America, and must therefore be 

 different from the amphisbsense of the ancients. They 

 are not venomous. The White Amphisbaena is common 

 in Brazil, and feeds chiefly on ants. Its length is about 

 a foot and a half. All the amphisbaenaB which are varied 

 with brown and white are known under the name of/W- 

 iginosa. The following cut represents a Punctated Am- 

 phisbaena. 



The tail of an amphisbaina is almost as bulky as the 

 head; and as the eyes are extremely small, it is difficult 

 at first sight to say at which end the head is situated. 



