Chap. I.] 



MONGOOS. 



39 



grass ; and if this were not at hand, almost any other 

 plant that grew near seemed equally acceptable. Hence 

 has probably arisen the long list of plants, such as the 

 Ophioxylon serpentinum and Ophiorhiza mungos, the 

 Aristolochia Indica, the Mimosa octandria, and others, 

 each of which has been asserted to be the ichneumon's 

 specific; whilst their multiplicity is demonstrative of 

 the non-existence of any one in particular on which the 

 animal relies as an antidote. Were there any truth 

 in the tale as regards the mongoos, it would be difficult 

 to understand why creatures, such as the secretary bird 

 and the falcon, and others, which equally destroy serpents, 

 should be left defenceless, and the ichneumon alone 

 provided with a prophylactic. Besides, were the ich- 

 neumon inspired by that courage which would result 

 from the consciousness of security, it would be so in- 

 different to the bite of the serpent that we might con- 

 clude that, both in its approaches and its assault, it 

 would be utterly careless as to the precise mode of its 

 attack. Such, however, is far from being the case ; and 

 next to its audacity, nothing can be more surprising 

 than the adroitness with which it escapes the spring of 

 the snake under a due sense of danger, and the cunning 

 with which it makes its arrangements to leap upon the 

 back and fasten its teeth in the head of the cobra. It 

 is this display of instinctive ingenuity that Lucan 1 

 celebrates where he paints the ichneumon diverting the 

 attention of the asp, by the motion of his bushy tail, 

 and then seizing it in the midst of its confusion : — 



" Aspidas ut Pharias cauda solertior hostis 

 Ludit, et iratas incerta provocat umbra : 



1 The passage in Lucan is aver- lated by Pliny, lib. viii. ch. 53 ; 

 sification of the same narrative re- and iElian, lib. iii. ch. 22. 

 D 4 



