104 A NATURAL HISTORY 



Tables*. We read of other grem Serpents in the Indies, that 

 are indulged with little Cottages made of Straw, where they fpend 

 their folitary Hours, till the time of eating invites them out, then 

 they repair to the Houfe, where they fawn upon their Mafters, 

 and eat what is fet before them, and then retire to the Huts of 

 Indulgence. 



XL. The Teizawhcoatl, is another Produdlion of Brafil, a 

 Serpent of about three Foot long, and ilenderBody, whofc Strokes 

 are peftilent : The Head is black, nether Part of the Tail red- 

 difh, and the Belly dafla'd with black Spots. The Cure is by Sucr 

 tion. 



Now we are travelling among the Inhabitants oi Brajil, we 

 may be allowed to take notice of Prince Maurice's Rational Par- 

 rot ^ mentioned by Sir William T'emple and Mr. Locke, which the 

 for??ier had from the Prince's own Mouth. His Words were, 



" That he had heard of fuch an c!d Parrot, when 



" he came to Brajil, and tho' he believed nothing of it, and it 

 " was a good way off; yet he had fo much Curiofity as to fend 

 " for it : that it was a very great and a very old one ; and when 

 " it came firfl: into the Room, where the Prince was with a great 

 " many Diitchmeri about him, it faid prefently, What a Company 

 " of White-men are here ! They ask'd it, what he thought that 

 " Man was, pointing at the Prince ? it anfwered, Some General 

 " or other. The Prince asked it, Whence come ye-j-? The Par- 

 " rot anfwered. From Marinnan. To whom do you belong, 

 *' faid the Prince ? it anfwered, To a Portvgiiefe Prince. The 

 " Prince ask'd. What do you there ? Parrot anfwered, / look 

 *' after the Chickens. The Prince laugh'd, and ikid, You look 

 " after the Chickens ! The Parrot anfv/ered, Yes, I; and I 

 " know 'well eyiough how to do it, and made the Chuck four or five 

 *' times, that People ufe to make to Chickens, when they call 

 " them. .... 



.... "I could not but tell this odd Story, becaufe it is fo much 

 ** out of the way, and from the firft hand, and what may pafs for 

 *' a good one j for I dare fay, this Prince at leaft believed himfelf 



"in 



* 'Rail Syvopfts, p. 328. 



•f- D'oii venes vous ? De Marinnan. A qui eftes vous ? A un Portugais. Que 

 fais cu-la ? Je garde ies poulles. Vous garden les poulles? Ouymoyi &je fgaibien 

 iaire. — Sir WiUiam Temple'/ Memoirs, ojfd Mr. LockeV ^ffay. Book II. chaf. 27. 



