72 CURIOUS BELIEFS REGARDING SNAKES. 



tion of its tail, with which it transfixes travellers to 

 the forest trees, after the performance turning the 

 interior of its prey into a dwelling-place, therein to 

 remain till another victim presents himself. 



These legends are always to be heard, and obtain 

 the greatest amount of credence, among a population 

 Dutch by extraction, whether found in the United 

 States or South Africa, therefore I presume that they 

 had their origin in Holland. Whether or not, they 

 are also firmly believed in by many of the uneducated 

 Irish and Scotch in both countries. It would be 

 extremely interesting to learn their antiquity, and by 

 what cause they were conceived. 



