42 A NATURAL HISTORY 



This Ifland o^ Ceylon is one of the moPc charming Situations on 

 the Earth, the Key and Glory of the India; the Air fo temperate, 

 tJiat, properly fpeaking, they feel neither Heat nor Cold j the Vales 

 and Hills are alvv^ays covered with Flowers, the Fields cover'd 

 with Fruits of all Sorts ; and in the Woods are Serpents cail'd L/- 

 zards^ full three Hands long, whofe Flefli is excellent Meat *. 



I N the fecond Part is a more ample Defcription of Cexlo'n. 



The Iguana Serpent is amphibious, lays numerous Eggs, grate- 

 ful to the Tafie, is very good Nouriflim.ent, preferable to Spanifh 

 Rabbits ; and in the City of Mexico thefe Serpents are brought to 

 the Markets, efpecially in the quadragelimal Days. 



A SpaniJJj Hiftorian fays, the Iguanas are fhap'd like the AL 

 ligators, very ugly, as big as Lap-dogs, of feveral Colours ; the 

 Spaniards obferve, that their Flefli taltes like the Pheafants, and 

 feed upon it with pleafure+. 



The learned Ray, fpeaking of the Liboya, that monftrous 

 America}! Serpent, fays, that after it has fwallow'd a large Animal, 

 its Head grows heavy and fleepy, that it can neither run nor 

 fight ; the Hunters finding it in this ftupid Pofture, foon ftrangle 

 him with a Rope; and being kill'd, cut the Carcafs into Par- 

 cels, and fell the Flefli for Food, which is reckon'd a delightful 

 Entertainment '^. The fame Author adds, that both Africans 

 and Americans having cut off the Head and Tail of the Kanina 

 Serpent, eat the Body as part of their confliant Repaft. Ibid. 

 328. 



BRASILIAN Serpents cail'd Lizards ^^rt flay'd, broil'd as 

 little Fiflies, and eaten by the Negroes or Blackmoors that are tranf- 

 ported into that Country from Africa. 



I AM inform'd of a Gentleman of the Law at Ludlow, who 

 having prick'd a living Toad in various Parts, fucks its Moiflure, 

 and leaves it as muft a Skeleton as the Purfe of a Client. 



T H u s we fee that the Almighty is fo far from being charge- 

 able with Defedl of Wifdom and Goodnefs, in forming of Serpents, 

 that both as Food and Phyfick, they may be equally improv'd 

 to our Advantage. 



* Ribeyro's Hiftory of Ceylon, prefented to the King of Portugal, 1685, tranf- 

 lated oMtoi Portuguefe into French, punted at Trevyux, ijoi- t Heriem^s 



Hift. Vol. ii. p. 14. J Rail Synopjls y p. 334,— iS{?/4 rejie—caroque ejus pro 



cibo grat'ljmo venditur. 



