S E R 
wardly parched by the heat of the climate, traverfe 
•whole defarts in quefi: of a fpring; which when 
they have difcovered, no dangers can deter them 
from attempting to flake their thirft. . Thus the 
vicinity of fome rivult^t is generally the rendez- 
vous of all the hoftile tribes of nature. On the 
banks of this little envied fpot thoufands of ani- 
mals of various kinds are obferved, either endea- 
vouring to quench their thirft, or preparing to 
feize their prey: elephants are arranged in a fpa- 
cious line, marching from the darker parts of the 
foreft; buffaloes are alfo there, trufting to their 
numbers for fecurity; garelles, relying foleiy on 
their fleetnefs; and lions and tigers, waiting a fit 
opportunity of feizing the unwary. But chiefly 
the larger kinds of Serpents are ftationed here, de- 
fending each accefs to the water. Not an hour 
paffes without fome dreadful encounter. But the 
Serpents, defended by their fcales, and naturally 
capable of fuftaining a multitude of wounds, are 
of all others the moft formidable: they are alfo the 
moft wakeful ; for the whole tribe fleep with their 
eyes open, and confequently arc always on the 
watch; fo that, till their rapacity is fatisfied, few 
other animals will venture to come near them. 
But though Serpents are of all other animals 
the moft voracious; and though the morfels they 
fwallovv without maftication, are larger than what 
any other creatures, either by land or water, are 
capable of abforbing; yet none can endure abfti- 
nence for fo long a time : a fingle meal, witli many 
of the fnake kind, feems to be the adventure of a 
feafon; a luxury they have fometimes been whole 
months in patient expeftation of. When they 
have ftized their prey, their induftry is entirely 
difcontinued for weeks together; and the fortu- 
nate capture of one hour often fatisfies them for 
the remaining period of their annual aflivity. As 
their blood is colder than that of moft terrefcrial 
animals, and circulates but flowly through their 
bodies ; fo their powers of digeftion are but feeble. 
Their prey continues for a long time, partly in 
their ftomachs, partly in tlieir gullets; and a por- 
tion of it is often feen hanging from their mouths. 
In this manner it digefts by degrees; and in pro- 
portion as the part below is diffolved, the portion 
abave is taken in. It is not therefore till this te- 
dious operation is entirely performed, that the Ser- 
pent renews it's appetite and adivity: but fhould 
any accident prevent it from iffuing once more 
from it's cell, it can ftill continue to endure fa- 
mine, for weeks, months, and even years toge- 
ther. Vipers are often kept in boxes for fix or 
eight months without any food v/hatever; and 
fmall Serpents are fometimes imported jnto Eu- 
rope from Grand Cairo, that live in phials for fe~ 
veral years, without any apparent aliii^ent. Thus 
the Serpent tribe unite in themfelves two very 
oppofite qualities, extreme abftinence, and yet in- 
credible rapacity. 
If we compare Serpents with refpefl to their 
voices, fome are found filent, and others have a 
peculiar kind of cry ; but a fort of hifs is the ge- 
neral exprcffion either of invitation or defiance. 
In thofe countries where they abound, they arc 
generally filent during the middle of the day, 
v/hen they are obliged to flielter themfelves from 
the ardour of the climate: but, as the cool of the 
evening approaches, they iffue from their cells 
with continued hiffings; and fuch is the variety of 
their notes, that fome authors affirm they induce 
a pretty good idea of the harmony of an Englifii 
SER 
grove. Such notes, however, can afford but little 
delight, when we recoiledt the malignity of the 
minftrels. If confidered, indeed, as "they anfwer 
the animals particular occafions, they will he 
found well adapted to their nature, and fully an- 
fwering the purpofes of terrifying fuclr as would 
adventure to offend them. 
With reference to motion, fome Serpents, par- 
ticularly thofe of the viper kind, move but flowly; 
while others, ftich as the ammodytes, dart with 
amazing fwiftnefs. The motion in all is fimilar ; 
but the ftrength of the body, in fome, exhibits a 
very different appearance. The viper, which is 
but a flow, feeble-bodied animal, proceeds in a 
heavy, undulating manner; advancing it's head, 
then drawing up it's tail behind, and bending it's 
body into 'a bow; afterwards, from the fpot where 
the head and tail were united, advancing the head 
forward as before: this, which is the motion of all 
Serpents, is very different from that of either the 
earth-worm or the naked fnail. The Serpent, as 
previoufly obferved, has a back-bone, with nume- 
rous joints; and this bone the animal poffeffes the 
power of bending in every diredion, but without 
being able to Ihorten or lengthen it at pleafure: 
the earth-worm, on the contrary, has no back- 
bone; but it's body is compofed of rings, which 
it can lengthen or fhorten at difcretion. The 
earth-worm, therefore, in order to move forward, 
lengthens it's body; then by the fore-part clings 
to the ground where it has reached ; and after- 
wards contrails and brings up it's rear; v/hen 
the body is thus ftiortened, the fore-part is lenr^th- 
ened again for another progreffion; and fo on: 
but the Serpent, inftead of ftiortening it's body, 
bends it into an arch. This is the principal dif- 
ference between ferpentine and vermicular pro- 
greffion. 
Many Serpents, however, dart with fuch amaz- 
ing fvviftnefs, that they appear rather to leap than 
crawl; though it is probable that no fnakes can 
dart farther than their own length, on even ground, 
at a fingle effort: our fears, indeed, may increafe 
the force of their fpeed, which is fometimes found 
fo fatal. The Jaculus is the fwifteft Serpent in 
nature; and it's manner of progreffion is by in- 
ftantly coiling itfelf on it's tail, and dartingVrom 
thence to it's full extent; then carrying it's tail 
<juick as lightning to it's head; coiling and dart- 
ing again; and by this means proceeding with ex- 
treme rapidity, without ever quitting the ground. 
Though all Serpents are amphibious, fome are 
much more attached to the water than others- 
and, though deftitute of fins or gills, remain at 
the bottom, or fwim along the furface with great 
eafe. From tlieir internal ftrufture, we may dif- 
cern how v/eil adapted they are for either element ; 
and how capable their blood is of circulating at 
the bottom., as freely as tliat of the frog or the 
tortoife : fait water, however, is baneful to the 
whole tribe. The largeft Serpents are frequently 
found in frefli-water, either chufing itas their fa- 
vourite element, or finding their prey there in the 
greateft abundance. But the experiment of Rhedi 
evidently demonftrates that all- are capable of ex- 
ifting and fv/imming in liquids: this curious na- 
turalift put a Serpent into a large glafs veffel filled 
with wine, where it continued fwimming about 
for fix hours, withou': any fenfible injury ; though, 
when immerfed by force, and confined under the 
liquor, it died in one hour and a half. He placed 
another in common water, where it lived three 
days; 
