THE BOIGUACU.' 



^97 



Length three to four, feet. Where he refides, animals that might injure 

 himlre forbidden ; particularly the hog, though fo ufeful a quadruped in 

 devouring noxious ferpents, lead he (hould devour their GOD. He is 

 familiar to man; but has the reputation of attacking venomous ferpents, 

 infedls, and worms, which overrun that country: nor is he lefs 

 efteemed for miraculous afliftance in battle, in arts., commerce, and 

 good fortune, ■ ' 



T H E BOIGUACU 



IS the largeft ferpent in the world ; of that kind which has the fcales 

 on its tail and belly fimilar •, has no venom, but ample ftr<;ngrh co 

 counterbalance its abfence. Nature has beftowed on this reptile, beauty, 

 fize, agility, ftrength, and induftry. As the elephant among quadrupeds, 

 he furpafles the reft of his order. Is commonly twenty feet long, but 

 fometimes forty or fifty, where food and quiet permit his growth. 



His head refembles that of a fetting dog ; the lummit is wide ; the fore- 

 head raifed, and divided by a longitudinal hollow j his eyes are large, 

 their orbits projefting; his mouth opens very widej his teeth 

 are long. This enormous reptile is diftinguilhed by the beauty of his 

 fcales, and the vivacity of their colours, which vary according to cli- 

 mate, age, and fex. On the head he has a great deep-coloured or 

 black fpot ; others are regularly ranged down him : belly afh-coloured 

 yellow, fpotted black. His hillings are long, fharp, and frightful : thefe 

 are thought to be moft frequent before ftorms and tempefts, perhaps be- 

 fore peftilential diftempers which arife from the atmofpherc ; and there- 

 fore thefe have terrified into fuperftition the natives of Mexico, who con- 

 fider this reptile as a meflenger of divine wrath ; and floods of human 

 gore have been ofi^ered to his image. In Africa alfo he is no lefs terri- 

 fically worlhipped, on the coaft of Mofambique, and in Japan, 



Inhabits all countries hot enough to maintain bim, fertile enough to 

 furnifli him with prey, and fpacious enough to prevent his being fre- 

 quently molefted ; formerly was known more northerly, when woods 

 were more abundant on this fide the Mediterranean. In Africa, the 

 only mean of deftroying him is by fire : fteel avails little : but often 

 fire is fet to. the long gr^fs, &c. already fcorched by the burning fun ; this 



Part V. No. 29. L 1 ' fooa 



