138 THE SERPENT KIND. 



are voracious to excess, and although the liboya, the largest of 

 the race, will swallow without chewing a larger morsel than the 

 whale itself can take in, no other animal whatever can so long 

 support abstinence. 



The long forked tongue of the serpent has sometimes been 

 supposed to be the instrument with which it inflicts the poison- 

 ous wound ; but this weapon is perfectly harmless, and is, in- 

 deed, too soft to make any puncture. The poison lodges in a 

 bag under the teeth, and is communicated by the bite. It is, 

 however, a happy circumstance, that none of the venomous race 

 ever attack mankind. The rattlesnake itself never becomes the 

 assailant, and only acts on the defensive when trodden upon or 

 attacked. 



We have now taken a view of an order of animals different 

 from all others in their conformation ; and, by a peculiar mechan- 

 ism, exhibiting a new and singular display of the wonderful 

 works of the Creator of the universe. Without either legs, 

 wings, or fins, they are notwithstanding locomotive, and tolerably 

 swift in their movements. The want of feet is wonderfully com- 

 pensated by the disposition of the muscles and fibres of their 

 bodies, and shows that the Author of Nature has a multiplicity 

 of means for accomplishing every purpose. 



Some may perhaps be inclined to doubt the utility of the ser- 

 pent race, but it must be remembered that we, who only see 

 by parts, cannot comprehend the whole complicated plan of in- 

 finite wisdom. We can discover the use of many of the reptile 

 race ; and serpents, no doubt, have a part assigned them to act 

 in the general system for the purpose of contributing to its per- 

 fection. In regard to their formidable qualities, they are rather 

 terrific than hurtful to the human species. Not a tenth part of 

 them are venomous, and these, as already observed, act only on 

 the defensive. Their figure excites horror and disgust, and this 

 antipathy against the serpent, and most of the reptile race, has 

 undoubtedly been implanted in our nature, in order to secure us 

 from the danger of rashly approaching the noxious, which we 

 may not always be able to distinguish from the harmless kinds 



