8a A NATURAL HISTORY 



flain, not by the Poifon, but the Violence of its Blow * : Pro- 

 bably on the lateral part of the Scull. 



Authors are not agreed about its Dimenfions. AmbrofirMs 

 fpeaking of one he had feen in the Bononian Mujkiim, fays, 'tis 

 about the thicknefs of a Staff, and about three Foot long: It is 

 found in Egypt, its Wounds are dreadful, being attended with 

 Putrefadlion and Defluxion of the Flefh. 



That which Bellonius faw, was three Palms long, or fixteen 

 Inches and a Finger's Breadth. A^. B. Falmiis flands for two dif- 

 ferent Meafures ; Pahniis major contains twelve Fingers ; Palmus 

 minor, four Inches.- 



It lies in wait under Bufhes, from whence it rufhes out una- 

 wares, and flies like an Arrow at Paffengers : Before it leaps at 

 the Prey, it lies on the Ground, and turns itfelf round, to give 

 the greater fpring to the Motion, by which flie'U do execution 

 at twenty Cubits diftance -f-. 



These nimble Leapers are found among the Weft-Indians^ 

 efpecially in Hijpaniola, where there are little Serpents in green 

 Apparel, that hang by the Tail on the Branches, from whence 

 they fuddenly leap upon their Prey. Among the Sabaans are 

 fome cloathed in red, four Inches long, that thus leap upon Men 

 unawares ; and hurt, not only by flriking, but touching. 



This Serpent refembles the Afh in Colour, inclining to the 

 white. It traverfes the Lybian Provinces, where it makes travel- 

 ling dangerous : It is alfo found in the Ifland of Rhodes ; an Ifland 

 on which, the Poets tell us, Golden Sbourrs are raind, and 

 where the Air is never io clouded, as to hinder the Light of the 

 Sun. It appears alfo in Norway, according to Olaus Magnus. 



One tells us, that he was inform'd by one John Vitus, a 

 learned Hungarian, that there were in that Country little Serpents 

 about fix Inches long, and without a Tail, therefore called by the 

 Vulgar, Xhe curtail' d Serpent, the whole Body is much of an 

 equal Thicknefs j and thefe, upon View of their Prey, leap upon 

 it v/ith the Swiftnefs of an Arrow X- 



XYl 



* immifit (jaculum vocac Africa.) ferpens 



Perque caput Pauli tranfadta tempora fugit 

 Nil ibi virus egit : rapuit cum vulnere tatum. 



Lucani Fharfalia, lib. ix. p. aj'J- 



•}■ Jm^oTiHS, p. 20, 21. % Com ad. Gefner. in Verbum. 



