378 EGYPTIAN VIPER. 



composition of the Theriaca, &c. Its size is some- 

 what smaller than that of the common Viper : the 

 head not so flat on the top, but very protuberant 

 on each side : the snout very obtuse : the body 

 thick towards the middle, and somewhat quadran- 

 gular, but thin and cylindric towards the head 

 and tail, which latter is short, slender, conical, 

 and terminated by a slightly incurved horny point 

 or tip : the scales on all the upper parts of the ani- 

 mal are oval and carinated : the colour above is 

 pale-ferruginous with darker spots, and beneath 

 entirely whitish : the usual length of this species, 

 according to Hasselquist, is about two spans and 

 an inch, of which the tail measures only an inch. 

 This is by some supposed to be the Asp of Cleo- 

 patra, by the bite of which that high-spirited 

 princess determined to die, rather than submit to 

 be carried to Rome in order to grace the triumph 

 of Augustus. It seems, however, utterly impossible 

 to determine this point. Mr. Bruce, as the reader 

 will find in the description of the Cerastes, rather 

 supposes that serpent to have been the species em- 

 ployed. Mr. Schneider, in his work, entitled His- 

 toria Amphibmmm, considers the Egyptian Viper 

 above described to be the true Dipsas of the an- 

 cients which was popularly reported to kill by 

 thirst. 



