6o A VOYAGE TO Book L 



Of the fnakes, the moft common, and at the fame 

 time the moft poifonous, are the corales, or coral fnakes, 

 the cafcabcles, or rattle-fnakes, and the culebras de be- 

 jiico *. The firfl are generally between four and five 

 feet in length, and an inch in diameter. They make 

 a very beautiful appearance, their fkin being all over 

 variegated with a vivid crimfon, yellow and green. 

 The head is flat and long, like that of the European 

 viper. Each mandible is furnilhed with a row of 

 pointed teeth, through which, during the bite, they in- 

 iinuate the poifon; the perfon bit, immediately fwells 

 to fuch a degree, that the blood gufhes out through all 

 the organs of fenfe, and even the coats of the veins at 

 the extremities of the fingers burft, fo that he foon ex- 

 pires. The cafcabel or rattle-fnake feldom exceeds 

 tw'o feet, or two feet and a half, in length ; though 

 there are fome of another fpecies, which are three and 

 a half. Its colour is brown, variegated with deeper 

 fhades of the fame tin6b ; at the end of its tail is the 

 cafcabel or rattle, in the form of a garvanzo or French- 

 bean pod, when dried on the plant, and like that has 

 five or fix divifions, in each of which are feveral fmall 

 round bones ; thefe, at every motion of the fnake, 

 rattle, and from thence give rife to its name. Thus 

 nature, which has painted the coral fnake with fuch 

 fhining colours, that it may be perceived at a diftance, 

 has formed the latter in fuch a manner, that, as its 

 colours render it difficult to diftinguifh it from the 

 ground, the rattle might give notice of its approach. 



The culebras de bejuco, which are very numerous, 

 have their name from their colour and lhape refembling 

 the branches of the bejuco, and, as they hang dowrj 

 from that plant, appear as real parts of the bejuco, till 

 a too near approach unhappily difcovers the miftake; 

 and though their poifon be not fo very relive as that 



* They are called Cobras by the natives, vvliich is their com- 

 ruon name for all kiads of ferpents. A. 



of 



