Chap. IX.] 
CLECILIA GLUTIffOSA. 
317 
Cape in 1772, which was imported for them " from the 
Indies, especially from Malabar," at so high a price 
that few of the farmers could afford to possess them- 
selves of it ; he describes it as convex on one side, 
black, and so porous that " when thrown into water, 
it caused bubbles to rise;" and hence, by its absorbent 
qualities, it served, if speedily applied, to extract the 
poison from the wound. 1 
Ccecilia. — The rocky jungle, bordering the higher 
coffee estates, provides a safe retreat for a very singular 
animal, first introduced to the notice of European 
naturalists about a century ago by Linnaeus, who 
gave it the name Ccecilia glutinosa, to indicate two 
peculiarities manifest to the ordinary observer — an 
apparent defect of vision, from the eyes being so small 
and embedded as to be scarcely distinguishable ; and a 
power of secreting from minute pores in the skin a 
1 Thunberg, vol. i. p. 155. Since "Use. — The wound being slightly 
the foregoing account was pub- punctured, apply the bone to the 
lished, I have received a note from opening, to which it will adhere 
Mr. Hardy, relative to the piedra firmly for the space of two minutes ; 
ponsona, the snake-stone of Mexico, and when it falls, it should be re- 
in which he gives the following ceivecl into a basin of water. It 
account of the method of pre- should then be dried in a cloth, 
paring and applying it; " Take a and again applied to the wound, 
piece of hart's horn of any con- But it will not adhere longer than 
venient size and shape ; cover it about one minute. In like manner 
well round with grass or hay, it may be applied a third time; 
enclose both in a thin piece of but now it will fall almost imme- 
sheet copper well wrapped round diately, and nothing will cause it 
them, and place the parcel in a to adhere any more, 
charcoal fire till the bone is suffi- " These effects I witnessed in the 
ciently charred. case of a bite of a rattle-snake at 
"When cold, remove the calcined Oposura, a town in the province of 
horn from its envelope, when it Sonora, in Mexico, from whence I 
will be ready for immediate use. obtained my recipe; and I have 
In this state it will resemble a given other particulars respecting 
solid black fibrous substance, of it in my Travels in the Interior of 
the same shape and size as before Mexico, published in 1830. E. 
it was subjected to this treat- "W. H. Hardy. Bath, 2,0th Janu- 
ment. ary, 1860." 
