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fize of a man's finger. It has a flat head, 

 and a large mouth, with a fingle row 

 of fmall teeth in each jaw, befides two 

 poifonous fangs, and its tail is (lender 

 and pointed : the belly is of a dirty yel- 

 low, and the reft of the body of a 

 bright orange colour ; and the back is 

 ornamented with a row of black and 

 white fpots, difpofed in pairs from head 

 to tail. This Snake is of all others the 

 moft dangerous to the Indians, both be- 

 caufe its bite is fatal, and becaufe it 

 frequents places in which there are fires, 

 from whence it has derived its name. 

 The Indians, who commonly fleep with- 

 out covering, in hammocks wrought like 

 a net, find it necefiary to make fires 

 near them during the night; and as 

 thefe fires feldom fail to draw the Fire 

 Snakes, if any are near, they are often 

 expofed, in getting up at night, to the 

 danger of being bitten by them. But 

 experience has taught them to examine 



carefully 



