jiiwpliìhia &ç~> . 



Vol. IV. No. 39 



INNOXIOUS SERPENTS. 



It Is a common Lut falle affertion, that all kinds 

 of Serpents and Vipers are venomous and mortife- 

 rous. There are in fact different tribes, which 

 are more or less provided with' poi fono us quali- 

 ties 5 but there are alfo various fpecies entirely- 

 innoxious; fome of them may even he eafily tamed, 

 and without the leaft danger kept within doors. 

 Impoftors and jugglers employ them very often in 

 their tricks and juggles, and make inexpert peo- 

 ple believe, they are poffeffed of a fupernatural 

 power of taming thefe Animals. In the annexed 

 picture we are made acquainted with three of 

 thefe harmless fpecies. 



Fig. 1. The French Viper. 



(Coluber communis feu Franciae.) 

 The French Viper is frequent in the South of 

 France. It is commonly about 3 feet long. The 

 coat of the animal is cover'd with f cal es, dark- 

 green on the back, and of a pale yellow cart on 

 the belly ; its tail terminates in a long thin 

 point. 



It lives on lizards, frogs, and other fmall ani- 

 mals which it catches with its teeth. Within 

 doors is may be rendered quite obedient and fa- 

 miliar. 



Fig. 2. The Serpent of Aesculapius. 

 (Coluber Aescuicrpii.) 



This Serpent is , like the former, of a gentle 

 and harmless nature, and may as eafily be tamed. 

 It is found in Italy, efpecially in the Environs of 

 Rome, in Spain and the Greek Islands. 



The fpecies was known to the ancients ; and 

 for its inoffenfive nature it was made the fymbol 

 of Aesculapius the beneficent God of phyfic. Its 

 length is commonly 3 or g| feet. It feeds like the 

 french Viper on fmall animals. The ruft brown 

 back is cover'd with oval fcales, on the fides a 

 blackish ftripe is perceived ; the belly is white. 



Fig. 3. The ftriped Viper. 



(Coluber quadri/hiatus.) 



This fpecies is met with in the Southern parts 

 of France and Spain, efpecially in humid and 

 moift places. It meafures generally 3 or 4 feet. 



Its prevailing co ] our is of a grey yellow. Four 

 parallel ftripes of black run down from the hea& 

 to the beginning of the tail. They are alfo very 

 eafily tamed; and in Spain where they generally 

 are fuppos'd to be venomous, many tricks are 

 played with thefe innocent animals. 



