SERPENTS 



and deserts. The most dreaded snakes, on account of their 

 venomous character, are found lurking just beneath the 

 surface of the sand, the colour of the snakes so closely 

 resembling the surrounding objects that even if they were 

 not buried they could easily be overlooked by the un- 

 practised eye ; while others, like the cobra and hamadryad, 

 hold their own in the bamboo hedges and clumps of 

 bamboo so conspicuous in all Eastern countries. In these 

 clumps (especially in gardens) they are very plentiful, no 

 doubt attracted by the rats and mice which keep generally 

 near large towns and houses. The stranger who finds 

 himself suddenly located among these obnoxious and 

 dangerous snakes is naturally filled with apprehension, 

 and forced to regard them with abhorrence and aversion ; 

 therefore, it cannot be a matter of surprise that these 

 reptiles should inspire the mind with feelings of fear, and 

 the horror and dread of death through such creatures 

 appear to justify our natural repugnance towards them. 



TALE OF A BOA CONSTllICTOR. 



My friend J wrote me that he had a monster in 



the shape of a boa-constrictor. What its length was in 

 his imagination I now forget, but on seeing it I found it 

 t)f large size, and thought it probably 18 ft. to 20 ft. long. 



Not intending to purchase the animal, and seeing 

 several sore places on its skin, I was induced to ask some 

 questions about its history, and the following statement 

 I have every reason to believe to be perfectly true. 



J said that the captain who brought home the 



serpent expected a large sum of money for it. The animal 

 hatl been confined in a long chest in the ship's hold, and 

 had not been looked at since it was caught and placed in 



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