ON SNAKES. 



279 



the-way, is natural enough, when we reflect, that, 

 serpents in general, have a great affinity to each 

 other, so far as appearance and habits are concerned. 



Whilst passing through our own fields, we can 

 easily distinguish the lordly bull from the rest of 

 the herd ; and we prudently keep at a proper dis- 

 tance. Again, in traversing a village, we at once 

 know the surly mastiff from the watchful sheep- 

 dog. But, this is not the case with regard to 

 snakes. When viewed even at a short distance 

 they may all be poisonous, or all harmless to the 

 eye of an inexperienced rover. 



I have penned down these few notes on the 

 snake family, not to intimidate the ardent young 

 naturalist, nor to make him fancy, that his life is 

 in perpetual danger, whilst he is traversing the 

 wilds in far distant countries. On the contrary, I 

 wish to encourage him in his praiseworthy career. 



Our histories of snakes are as fabulous and 

 incorrect as those of monkeys. Take the following 

 quotation for example. CC A11 along the swampy 

 banks of the river Niger or Oroonoko, where the 

 the sun is hot, the forests thick, and the men but 

 few, the serpents cling amongst the branches of 

 the trees in infinite numbers, and carry on an 

 unceasing war against all other animals in their 

 vicinity." 



