FROM AGRA TO OUJEIN. . 5^ 



defcription in thi?place*. It is called by the Spaniards , 

 Culhbrilla or little ferpent, and Teems to be the lame 

 that is defcribed by M. De la Condamine, and 

 known to the French at Cayenne by the name ol Ver- 

 macaque. The only difterence between the defcriptions 

 of the inre6t in thefe dierffent countries, is in thek 

 length ; thole of Cayenne, being only laid to be feveral 

 inches ; whereas thofe of Africa and the Eafi hulks are 

 known to amount to fome ells. And this diverlity in 

 the defcription by different authors, is probably rather 

 owing to the accidental circumftance of the fpecimens 

 that fell under the obfervation of each, than to any real 

 variety, or fpecilic difference, between the animals of 

 the two continents. The name by which they are 

 known at Oujein, and I believe, in other parts of Hin- 

 dvjian is Neruah. 



The caufe of their produ61ion is ftill invoh'ed in 

 obfcurity. I have have met with three hypothefes to 

 account for it. ift, That it is caufed by the malignity 

 of the humours depolited and fixed in forne part of the 

 cellular texture. This I was furprized to fee alTigned as 

 the molt probable, by the authors of the French Ency- 

 cloped'id ; after the do6f rine of equivocal generation had 

 been to compleatly refuted, and univerfallyabandoned. 

 2dly, In Dr. Rees's edition of Chambers's Diction-. 

 ary, I find it afcribed to the drinking of ftagnant and 

 corrupt water, in which it is probable the ova of tliefe 

 animals lie. 3dly, It has been alledged that certain in - 

 .fedls, which inhabit the air, or the water, in thole coun- 



* Filana mcdinenfis Lin. S. N. cur Gmelin. 

 Gordws meilincnjis Syrt. Nat. ed. xil. 

 Vena incd'inenjit Welsch. Sloan. 

 Dracunculas f erf arum Kcempfer. 



The la ft author gives a very interefting hiftory and dcfcriptioiv of 

 the animal J which he fays he was tvyice able to extract at one opera- 

 tion, entire and alive. Thrown into warm water it became flaccid 

 and motiunlefs : being taken out, it was more rigid and moved ob- 

 Icnrcly : but when immcrfed in cold water, it bent and n-]oved 

 iticlt" violently, and as if impatient of the coid licjuid, ireqnrntly 

 railed its head above the furlacc, An;oeu. exot, p. 534 et !eq. 



tries. 



