OF SERPENTS. 8; 



when he was brought into a certain Theatre, faw, as he pafs'd 

 along, a Keeper of wild Beafts, fitting in the Market-place, whom 

 he fuddenly killed : And that the occafion of this Revenge was, 

 becaufe the faid Keeper about ten Years before had ftruck him 

 with a Sword in that fame Place *. 



And Acojla writes, that a Soldier in the Town of Cochine^. 

 had thrown the Kernel of a Nut at an Elephant, which the Ani- 

 mal took up and carefully hid : Some Days after, the Elephant 

 feeing the faid Soldier pafs by, threw it in his Face, and went 

 away leaping and dancing. Ibid. 



In that fame Town, another Soldier, meeting an Elephant 

 and his Keeper,, wou'd not give way to them : Whereupon the 

 Keeper complained to the Elephant of the Aifront, who fome 

 days after, ftanding on the River Mangafa, which runs through 

 the Town, and feeing that flurdy Soldier ftand idle, ran haflily 

 towards him, lifted him upon his Trunk, and plunged him fevc- 

 ral Times in the River ; after which, he drew him out, and left 

 him where he found him. Ibid. 



XXII. The Scorpion is one of the Inhabitants of the World in 

 Miniature j though a little Infedt, yet is reckoned to be one of the 

 chiefeft among flinging Animals, whofe Poifon in different Re- 

 gions is lefs or more dangerous, as it is exalted by various Degrees 

 of Heat. It has eight Legs, and two large Claws, refembling 

 thofe of a Lobfter, and a Body like a Crab or Craw-fifh : They 

 are of various Colours, as red, white, yellow, black: They differ 

 alfo in their Size and Kinds, as the marine, terreftrial, reptile,, 

 winged, hurtful and innocent. 



Some are of the Bignefs and Length of a Man's Finger, not 

 much longer than a Beetle or a black Fly : Thofe known to us 

 are of a brown Colour, the Back compofed of Joints refembling; 

 thofe of a Crab, but more cruflaceous. 



Authors differ about the Tail, whether it be knotty or 

 not ; but all agree, that it is furniflied with a terrible Sting, v/orfe^ 

 than the knotted Whip. Many Places produce Scorpions of the- 

 minute Sort, not m.uch exceeding the Length of a large Bean. 



Others- 



* Michael Glycash Anral. par, I. in the Memoirs of jhs Royal Society, vol. Vj vi., 

 p. 2Sjj 281. ttid, p.281. 



