OF SERPENTS. 



lodytes, who are Africans, not far from the Arabian CuJph, lead- 

 ing a.^paftoral Life, lived by luinting-— and fed on Serpents -]•. 



Among the Andefian Mountains in America, is a Serpent 

 called Juanna, big as a Rabbit, has a fpotted Skin, four Feet, and 

 is never obferved to have any Voice, is much eaten by the Inha- 

 bitants, and counted better Meat than Rabbits, as it is prepared by 

 the Barbarians *. 



The Kanina Serpent that feeds upon Birds, is eaten by the In- 

 habitants, the Brajiiia?is, and their Negro-Labourers, after they 

 cut oft the Head and Tail. Ibid. The Dutch, Portuguefe, and 

 others in that Country, feed upon the Lyboya Serpent ; 'tis of a. 

 prodigious, large Bulk, and defcribed in another Place. Ibid. la 

 old Mexico, we read hov/ the Indians took a certain Serpent that 

 carried thirty Young's, which were each a Finger long, and crept 

 about immediately J and the old one being 'above 20 Foot long, 

 ferved the Natives for Venifcn -f-. 



AMERICU S Vefpiifius, (a Florentine, who was the firfl-, after 

 Columbus, that difcover'd America, and wrote the Hiftory of his 

 four Years Voyages) fays, he faw fome Serpents in America, 

 which the Inhabitants commonly feed upon: They were ofdiverfg 

 Colours, and as big as Kids. In the Hiflory of that Country, we 

 find the Natives of the Land fed upon Adders, Serpents, Toads, 

 —without any Scruple of Mind, or Injury to their Health. 



The Natives of Tonquin, a large Kingdom of India, beyond 

 the Ganges, in treating their Friends, give them Arrack, a rich 

 Cordial, in which Snakes and Scorpions have been infus'd; and is 

 efleem'd an Antidote againft all Poifons. 



INDIA breeds Serpents in abundance of all Sizes, and Va- 

 riety of mofl charming Colours : The People of Siam catch pro- 

 digious Numbers of them in the Woods, and expofe them to 

 Sale in the Markets, as Eels in England, for Animal Food J. 



Experiments have been made upon Animals, as Pigeons, 

 Chickens — that were bit by Serpents, which have been eaten 

 without any manner of Hurt, or painful Senfation; yea. Ser- 

 pents that wereflain have been given to Dogs, who fed upon them: 

 without danger, or any uneafinefs |[. 



Th e 



f Strabo, lib. 16. Biof po^jiaS'iKoi Cluverii Ir.troduc'i. 



* Ray, p. 329. Jtl, Geography America, p. 129. f AtJ, Ceagriph. ^01 America,: . 



from Latt. p. 628. % Le ComU's Memoirs, p, 504. || br, Rcdi, p. 178. 



2 



39 



