C 1^4 ) 



THE DRAGON. 



f^r^HE Dragon of imagination is a moft terrible animal, but not that 

 J[_ of nature ; like what we have feen of the Bafilifk, fancy has been 

 equally rennote from fa6l as from probability. 



The Dragon or Flying Lizard lives on fruit-trees, and feeds on flies, 

 ants, butterPiies, and other fmall infecls. Is a very harmlefs creature, and 

 does no mifchief in any refpe£t. Its wings are compofed of fix cartila- 

 ginous rays, placed horizontally on each fide the back, and near the 

 forelegs; thefe bend backward, and fuftain a membrane, which fur- 

 rounds the fir ft ray, and extends to the hind legs ; each wing reprefents 

 a triangle, its bafe attached to the back of the creature; this membrane, 

 as alfo the body, is covered with icales, hardly perceptible, except 

 under the wings j thefe wings refemblc thofe of the flying fifli, or thofe 

 of flying fquirrels. About the neck are three bags, waich he can inflate at 

 pleafure J his throat is wiJe ; he has many and fharp teeth j on the back 

 three rows of tubercles, ranging lengthways; legs long; five toes to 

 each foot; long, feparate, and having hooked niils; rail very thin ; twice 

 as long as the body, and fcaly; whole length a foot. When he Ikinns from 

 one tree to another, he ftrikes the air audibly with his wings, and fome- 

 times leaps thirty feet. 



Inhabits Afia, Africa, and America; has an agreeable mixture of co- 

 lours, black, brown, and blue, in fpots or ftreaks, varying with climate, 

 &c. He fwims well; his wings and inflated wattles rendering him very 

 buoyant^ 



THE SALAMANDER. 



TH E ancients have defcribed a lizard bred from heat, living in 

 flames, and feeding on fire. Marvellous imagination has here fur- 

 palVed itfelf; or certain lU-obfervcd circumfl:ances have been magnified 

 and multiplied, till, the bounds of truth being paflTcd, no limits were 



fct to roving fuggeftion. 



The 



