O F S E R P E N T S. 109 



fuffer'd that venerable Colour to be prophaned by Chriftians, he 

 fcoffingly faid, that he would forbid tht green Colour to be pro- 

 phaned by Chriftians, as foon as Amiirath could hinder the greejt 

 Meadows to be prophaned by his TurkiJJj Cattle *, The Eaftern 

 Turks abhor the blue Colour, becaufe the Jews, they fay, threw 

 Indigo into Jordan to hinder the Baptifm of Chriji^ but the An- 

 gels brought Water from Jordan to baptize him, before it was 

 polluted. Atlas. 



h. BO TTI APUA, is a Serpent fo called by the Brazilians 

 for its long Snout, though I don't find it exceeds others in fmel- 

 ling, by the extenfion of its Nofe; it is of a long flender Body, 

 and feeds upon Frogs, amphibious Animals and Infedts. 



This Serpent is in high Efteem among the Natives of Brazil, 

 who pradife the Art of Conjuration by it; and if any of them 

 have a barren Wife, and are defirous of Children, they lafh this 

 Serpent over her Hips, pretending that fuch Exercife will make 

 her fruitful: And if this Device fhould take effedl,^ mull not we 

 conclude the Offspring to be a Generation of Vipers t 



LI. The Gaytiepua is a large Snake, fmells rank like a Fox, and, 

 according to a learned Author, the Smell is intolerable -f, as is that 

 of the Serpent Boyana, which is very long and flender, and of 

 black Colour J of which one of the Latin Poets takes notice J. 



If the loathfome Smell of thefe Creatures offend the Nofe, it 

 ferves as a friendly Alarm of Danger, to thofe who have the ufe 

 of a Nofe, that they may avoid a more terrible Stroke. 



No THING fo conftituted in Nature, but a fuperficial Obfer- 

 ver may conflrue as a Blemifh to the Creation ; but to a more pe- 

 netrating Eye, thofe imaginary Blemlfhes have their Convenience 

 and Ufe, and appear to be the Product of perfc(!l Intelligence and 

 Wifdom. 



LII. The Bom-Snake, is another Brazilian Reptile, call'd 

 Bom from the Noife it makes in its Motion. It is of a prodigious 

 large Size, but is clafs'd among the Innocent, that do no manner 



o£ 



* Holflein Am'jujfadors. — Berbert. — yitl. Afa. 

 \ Fator ii'liu! vuilate7ius — pjjit tolerarl. Rnii Synopfi^ 

 X Q__iod vulpis fuga, vipi-re cubile 



Mallem quara quod oles, okte, Balla. MartiaU. 



