OF SERPENTS. 



faftens, 'tis not eafily difengaged. This Creature is foiihd in 

 Arabia, Egypt, Madagajcar, Java, and other parts of India. 

 Bellofiius law feveral of them among the Shrubs oi Atficd * : He 

 fays it frequents Cairo, and other Places, is found among Hedges 

 and Buflies ; mutes like a Hawk ; fwallows every thing whole. It 

 moves the Feet of each fide alternately, but runs up Trees very 

 faft, and lays hold on the Boughs with its Tail. Leo and Sandys 

 fay, the Neck is inflexible, and it can't turn without moving its 

 whole Body : the Back is crooked, the Skin is fpotted with lit- 

 tle Tumours : the Tail long and flender, like that of a Rat, when 

 it fucks in the Air, its Belly fwells, whence feme think that the 

 Air is part of its Food. One Author fays, it fubfifls only upoli 

 Air ; another fays, 'tis a vulgar Error, 



'Tis faid, that if a Serpent lurks near the Tree, where it fits, 

 it throws a Thread out of its Mouth, with a little fliining Drop 

 at the end, which falls upon the Serpent's Head, and kills it-f-. 



In America are Serpents, fome of whom are fo poifonous, 

 that if touch'd but with a little Stick, the Venom runs up the 

 Hand ; and fuch as are touch'd with the Blood of dead Serpents, 

 die a lingring Death : This is Tradition : I fhall begin with the 

 iirfl of them, viz. 



XXX. KUKURUKI, ^Str^tnio? Bra ftlin South- America, 

 which is under the torrid Zone, where their Winter begins in 

 March and ends in Aiiguft--, and is like our Summer. This Ser- 

 pent is of an afh Colour, and in its Scales refembles the Bocinga^ 

 or Rattle-Snake, but is more grofs ; on the Back, variegated with 

 yellow, and large black Spots. 'Tis reprefented as a very vene- 

 mous Animal, eight or nine Foot long:|:; and when prepared, 

 the Inhabitants feed upon it. 



XXXI. The Ibiara is a Brajilian Adder, about a Foot and 

 half long J an Inch and half in thicknefs. Serpents of this kind 

 are very numerous in that Country, and nothing more poifonous 

 than their Wounds, tho' not incurable, if proper Remedies be 

 applied in time. 



O 2 In 



* Jonflonus de ^adrupedibus. \ Atl. Afric, p. 49, 50. 

 X <) & interdum 12 pedes longus ejl. Ray. 



99 



