130 A N A T U R A L H I S T O Pv Y 



has it any Rattles. They are frequently found in Cortt-Jields, from 

 whence, I prefume, they have their Appellation. In their Qua- 

 lities they refemble the Green-Snakes, that are innocent by iSfa- 

 ture, and in form admirably pretty, if I may be allow'd by the 

 Ladies, to call a Serpent fo. 



CIV. The Bloimng-Serpent, which is a Species of the Viper, 

 but larger than the European^ is fo called, becaufe it feems to 

 blow, to fpread its Head, and fwell very much, before it bites ; 

 which Bite is very poifonous, and feems to receive fome additional 

 Malignity from the Enlargement of its Head beyond the common 

 Proportion. 



CV. The Brimftone- Snake, fo denominated from the Simi- 

 litude of Colour '. They might as well call it, the GlaJ's-SnakCf 

 for if any Credit be given to the Hiilorian, 'tis as brittle as a 

 Glafs-Tube, or a Tobacco-Pipe, fo that upon the touch of a 

 Twig, it immediately breaks into feveral Pieces, which fome fay, 

 and nobody believes, are capable of Re-union. 



Its component Parts maybe weak and frail, but it is queftion- 

 able, whether fo brittle as reprefented : 'Tis true indeed there are 

 hard Bodies, that would not be affected with a Twig, yet are 

 very brittle. Thus Iron, which is one of the hardefl Metals and 

 yet mojl brittle, and by fufing, it becomes harder and more brit^ 

 tie. Now this great Brittlenefs of Iron, arifes from the great 

 quantity of Sulphur-Brimftone intermixed with it. The abun- 

 dance of Sulphur in Iron, is apparent from the Sparks it emits 

 from under the Smith's Hammer; thofe fiery Sparks being only 

 the Sulphur of the heated Iron, nothing of which is feen in any 

 other Metal *, N. B. RoU-Brimftone fold in the Shops comes 

 from the native Sulphur, which Helmont always preferred to 

 that purified. 



CVI. The Tellow-Snake is in length about feven or eight 

 Foot ; the Neck is fmall, rather lefs than its Body, which grows 

 bigger, till it be as big as one's Wrift, and continues fo large to 

 the Anus ; from whence it diminifhes by degrees to the Tail. Its 

 Head (which is not very large) is of a dark Colour, and fo are 



the 



* Boerhaave's Method af Chmifirji. 



