O F S E R P E N T S. 141 



tbat of our Vipers, and the Tail, which feems to have a touch 

 of the Rattle, ends acutely. 



Its Wounds are deadly, and burn like Fire; hence the Name 

 it bears : Though fiery in Nature, is flow and winding in Mo- 

 tion, and may be avoided by the Traveller, if he has Eyes and 

 Ears. Its ufual Relidence is in Mountains, and the higher Moun- 

 tains are, the greater the Cold, (becaufe they only receive diredl, 

 and but little of the refledled Rays of the Sun) yet are the Habi- 

 tations of fiery Animals. ? 



The Learned obferve, there are Mountains a Mile and an half 

 high, to the tops of which, no Vapour, and confequently no Clouds, 

 can ever reach : And hence it is that in very high Mountains, as 

 the Pico de Theide in Bohemia, though the middle part be always 

 invefted with Snow, and the bottom fcorched with intolerable 

 Heat J yet on the top you will find yourfelf in a pure, thin, fe- 

 rene Air, and view the Clouds hovering at a confiderable diflance 

 below you^% 



H E N CE it is that all Thunder is confined within lefs than a 

 Mile's Height. The Air is coldeft in the higheft places, and 

 hotteft in the loweft; but in the intermediate Atmofphere, where 

 we live, very unequal : but no Climates, however fituated, are 

 privileged with Exemption from venemous Creatures, and where 

 they are lefs peftered with them, 'tis owing to the Cultivation of 

 the Land. 



The Wounds given by this Serpent are dangerous, and cured 

 by an Herb called AncolUy by Jonjlonus^ p. 26, 27. but Amla, 

 by Nierembergiiis^ p. 277, 283. 



CXXVI. The Hydms, or Natrix, an acquatic Serpent : The 

 former word from Wap Water, of which 'tis an Inhabitant ; the 

 other word denotes its Skill in the Art of Navigation; it goes un- 

 der various Denominations, as appears in Jonjionus ; who, from 

 Pliny obferves, that this Serpent \sfuperior to ??JoJl in Beauty, ajid 

 inferior to none in PoiJon-\. 



NICANDER, who calls the terreftrial Hydrus,, a foul co- 

 loured Beaft, vindicates the beautiful Charader of the Marine; 

 who yet is not very nice in its Choice of Water, for muddy and 



cleasr 



* Mentil>i4s Tepeztlanicis. f Jov^oni Hijloria Nat. p, 2S. 



