HISTORY OF MEitlCO. 



81 



little fnake fliews to ant>hills, proceeds only from Its liv- 

 ing upon the ants themfelves. 



The Maquizcoatl is about the fame fize, but of a 

 fliining filvery hue. The tail is thicker than the head, 

 and this fnake can move progrellively with either extre- 

 mity at pleafure. It is called by the Greeks Amphifba^- 

 na (/>) ; it is a very rare fpecies, and has never been 

 feen, as far as I know, in any other place than the val- 

 ley of Toluca. 



Of all the variety of fnakes which are found in the 

 unfrequented woods of that kingdom, 1 believe that no 

 viviparous fpecies has been difcovered, except the acoatl 

 or water-fnake, which too is only fuppgfed, but not cer- 

 tainly known, to be viviparous. That fnake is about 

 twenty inches long and one thick : its teeth are exceed- 

 ing fmall, the upper part of the head is black, the fides 

 of it are blue, and the under part yellow. The back is 

 flriped with blue and black, the belly is entirely blue. 



The ancient Mexicans who took delight in rearing all 

 kinds of animals, and who by long familiarity lofl that 

 horror which fuch animals naturally infpire, ufed to carch 

 in the fields a little green harmlefs fnake, which being 

 brought up at home and well fed, would fometimes grow 

 to the fize of a man. It was generally kept in a tub, 

 which it never left but to receive its food from its maf- 

 ter's hand ; which it would take, either mounted upon 

 his ftioulder or coiled about his legs. 

 Vol. I. L If 



(/») Pliny, in lib. viii. cap. 23, gives the Amphijh^sna two heads; but the 

 Greek name means nothing more than the double motion. The two-headed 

 ferpent of Pliny has been feen in Europe, and fome have afferted that it is to 

 be met with in Mexico, but ! do not know that any one has feen it. If it has 

 been found in that country, it cannot be confidered as a natural fpecies, but ra- 

 ther as a monfter, like the two-headed eagle found a few years Hnce in Oaaca, 

 and fent to the Catholic king. 



