136 A NATURAL HISTORY 



like Silver. The Back and Sides illuftrated with white Streaks, 

 alternately painted with Yellow and Azure : the Tongue is of a 

 black Colour, fmall, long, and cloven, and moft nimble in its 

 Vibrations *. 



CXVI. DE Angue-Laqueo, the Enfnaring-Serpent. In the 

 Province of Vera-Pas, weft of the Honduras ; they are much in- 

 fedled with feveral Infefts, as Muskettoes, Fire-Flies, and Serpents. 

 Among the laft is one Serpent of great Bulk, and excels in Craf- 

 tinefs, being very fubtle and fliarp in laying hold of its Prey. The 

 Method is furprizing ; for it wraps up itfelf in the Form of a 

 Ginn, and fo decoys the Game into the Snare : It bites like a Dog, 

 and is very mifchievous, tho' not of the venemous Order. Ibid. 



CXVII. The Jliipid Serpent, which they call Canaucoatl, in 

 Charadler is contradiftious ; for, as reprefented in Hiftory, 'tis 

 dull and in a manner deftitute of Senlation, and yet a Creature 

 full of Vitality and Spirit ; and indeed is only remarkable for its 

 Mettle. It is of the Tribe of Innocents, and very ftrong, and 

 fears no Aflault. In Dimenfion, monftrous ; for Thicknefs, equal 

 to a Man's Body, and twice the Length. 'Tis faid, feme have 

 fat upon it, apprehending it to be only the Trunk of an old Tree, 

 Some other fabulous Things are reported of it. 



I T lives in the Shadow of Woods, often concealing itfelf un- 

 der Branches and Leaves of Trees, where it furprizes the Prey, 

 which, to fpeak with the Vulgar, it draws to him, by the Force 

 of its Breath, as a Loadftone does Iron. The Authors of the 

 Atlas mention a Serpent of this attractive Power in the Philip- 

 pine IJlands ; Birds and other Animals are drawn into the Trap 



by the Charms of the Breath ; yea, Partridges, Weafels are 



made to run into its devouring Jaws. Ibid. 



I F this Serpent be indued with this magnetic Property, it is a 

 living Loadflofie, and more extenfive in its Attradlions than the 

 real one ; for this draws all animal Bodies to it, whereas the real 

 Loadftone only attradls Iron. Attradion in the grofs, is fo com- 

 plex a thing, that it may folve a thouiand different things alike. 



This Creature is called Ibitin m America; and probably the fame 

 with the following, though diftindlly coniidered by the Hiftorian. 



4 CXVIII. 



* Nierembergius, cap. xv. p. 274. 



