HORNED SNAKE. 577 



it to depart. The proconsul, therefore, thought it no diminution 

 to his dignity to send the spoils of such an enemy to Rome, and to 

 confess at once the greatness of his victory, and his terror by this 

 public memorial : for he caused the skin of the snake to be taken 

 off, aud sent to the city, which is said to have measured 120 feet : 

 it was suspended in a temple, and remained till the time of the 

 Numantiae war." 



[I/O Cepede. Friensheim. Shaw. 



section x. 



Cerastes, or Horned Snake. 

 Coluber cerastes. Linn. 



The cerastes or horned viper, which commonly grows to the 

 length of about a foot or fifteen inches, and sometimes to a larger 

 size*, is distinguished by a pair of horns or curved processes, si- 

 tuated above the eyes, and pointing forwards : these horns have 

 nothing analogous in their structure to the horns of quadrupeds, 

 and are by no means to be considered in the light of either often, 

 sive or defensive weapons : they increase, however, the natural an- 

 tipathy so generally felt against the serpent tribe, and give the ani- 

 mal a more than ordinary appearance of malignity. The cerastes 

 is a native of many parts of Africa, and is principally found in 

 sandy deserts and dry places. Its usual colour is a pale yellowish 

 or reddish brown, with a few rather large, distant, round, or 

 transversely oblong spots of a deeper colour dispersed along the 

 upper parts of the body, the belly or under part being of a pale 

 lead colour. In Syria and Arabia the cerastes is particularly fre- 

 quent, and is also found in many parts of Egypt, &c. It bears a 

 very great affinity to the common viper, and its bite is perhaps still 

 more to be dreaded, since exclusive of the general danger of tread- 

 ing accidentally on this reptile, and thus irritating it unawares, it 

 is said to possess a propensity of springing with great suddenness 

 to a considerable distance, and assailing without provocation those 

 who happen to approach it. 



The general history and manners of this serpent are amply de- 



* The specimens described by Cepede measured more than two feet, as 

 does also that in the British Museum. 

 VOL. V. 2 P 



