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days; but, when plunged under the water, it ex- 
pired in the fpace of twelve hours. In the liquid 
element, however, the motion of Serpents is per- 
fedly the reverfe of what it is on land; for, in or- 
der to fupport themfelves on an element lighter 
than their own bodies, they are obliged to increafe 
their furface in a very artificial manner. On 
earth, they wind perpendicular to the furface; in 
water, parallel to it: in other words, the waving 
of the hand up and down will give a clear idea of 
the progrefs of thefe animals on land ; and the 
waving it from right to left, v/ill reprefent their 
progrefs on the water. 
So horrible a fsetor exhales from fome Serpents, 
that it is alonec apable of intimidating their af- 
failants. This effluvia proceeds from two glands 
.near the vent, like thofe in feveral of the weafel 
kind; and, like thofe animals, in proportion as 
they are excited by rage or fear, the fcent be- 
comes ftronger. It appears, however, that fuch 
Serpents as are mofi: numerous, are the lead of- 
fenfive in this particular; for the rattle-fnake and 
the viper are perfc6lly free from any difagrecable 
odour: and, if we may give credit to travellers, 
there are fome noxious Serpents in the Eaft In- 
dies, which are fo far from b^ing difagreeable to 
the fmell, that their very excrements are fought 
after, and preferved as the mofc grateful perfume. 
Some Serpents are viviparous, as the viper; but 
others are oviparous, as the common black fnake, 
and the m'ajority of the Serpent tribe: however, 
proficients in anatomy need not be informed, that 
thefe animals are internally formed alike, in what- 
ever manner they produce their young; the va- 
riety in parturition being rather a flight than a 
real difcrimination. The only difi'erence is, that 
the viper hatches her eggs, and brings them to 
maturity within her body; whereas the fnake is 
more premature in her produ6tions, and brings 
forth her eggs fome time before the young are 
capable of quitting the fhell. Thus, if either be 
opened at the proper feafon, the eggs will be found 
in the womb, covered with their membranous 
fliells, and adhering to each other like large beads 
on a firing. The young ones will be found in- 
clofed in the eg-gs of both, though at different 
llages of maturity : thofe of the viper will crawl 
nnd bite the inflant they are liberated from the 
ihell'; v/hile thofe of the fnake v/ill be found im- 
perfe£l in their natural formation. 
Labat caufed a Serpent of the viperine kind, 
meafuring nine feet, to be opened in his prefence. 
He then faw the manner in which the eggs of thofe 
animals lie in the womb. In this creature there 
vv'ere fix eggs, as large as thofe of a goofe, but 
longer, fharper at the extremities, and covered with 
a iBcmbranous fkin, by v/hich alfo they were united 
to each other. Thirteen or fourteen young were 
contained in each of thefe eggs, about fix inches in 
length, and the thicknefs of a goofe-quill. The 
parent was fpotted; but the young ones had a va- 
riety of colours, very different from her's; which 
induced this gentiemin to conje£lure that the co- 
lour compofed no charafterifcic mark among Ser- 
pents. Thefe littie animals v/ere no Iboner eman- 
cipated from confinement, t'lan they crept about; 
and put themfelves into a threatening pofture, by 
coiling themfelves up, and clinging to the flick 
v/:th which he was deflroying them. 
The lail, but mofb material diflindion, among 
Serpents, is, that fome are venomous, and others 
inoifenfive. The poifon of thefe reptiles has been 
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for ages one of the greateft objefls of human con- 
ffderation. In Europe indeed, where the venge- 
ful wound is feldom infli6led, it is regarded merely 
as a fubjefl of curiofity; but to thofe who arc 
placed amidfl the Serpent tribe, and are daily ex- 
pofed to fome new difafler, it becomes a matter of 
the mofi ferious import. The phyncians of the 
Eaft confider their flcill in furnifhing antidotes 
againft this calamity as the higheft perfection of 
the healing art. In all countries, however, the 
poifon of the Serpent is fuSciently formidable to' 
excite our attention to it's nature and effects: a 
defcription therefore of it's feat in the animal, and 
of the inftrument by which it is communicated, 
cannot fail of proving both amufing and inftruc- 
tive. 
In all the venom^ous clafs of reptiles, v/hether 
the viper, the rattle-fnake, or the cobra di capello, 
there arc two large teeth or fangs, iffuinp- from 
the upper jaw, and projefting beyond the lower. 
The innoxious clafs is deftitute of them; and it is 
moft probable, that wherever thefe fangs are want- 
ing, the animal is harmlefs : on the contrary, 
wherever they are found, it is to be avoided as the 
moPf deadly foe. Thefe inftruments feem to con- 
ftitute the true diftinftion between animals of the 
Serpent kind: the wounds Vv^hich thefe fangs in- 
fii6l produce the moft dangerous fymptoms; but' 
thofe made by the teeth only are attended witjj| 
nothing more than the common confequences 
arifing from the bite of any other animal. If a 
fnake has fang-teeth, it is to be ranked among the 
venomous clafs ; if it has not, it may be confi- 
dered as inoffeniive. Many Serpents indeed are 
faid to be poifonous, whofejaws are deftitute of 
fangs: but it feems extremely probable that our 
fears alone have furni Hied thefe aniinals v/ith poi- 
fon ; for, of all the tribe which want this appara- 
tus, not one is found to have a bag for holding 
poifon, nor a conduit for injeiling it into the 
wound. The black fnake, the liboya, and, nume- 
rous others, have their teeth of an equal fize, fixed 
in their jaws; and are no more capable of inflift- 
ing dangerous wounds than dogs or lizards. But 
it is far otherwife with refpe6t to the venomous 
tribe: thefe are well furniflied, not only with a 
laboratory wherein the poifon is conco6ted, but 
with a canal by which it is conduiled to the jaw, 
a bag under the fang for containing it, and alfo 
an aperture in the fang itfelf for injecfting it into 
the wound. The glands which fupply this ve- 
nomous fluid are fituated on each fide of the head 
behind the eyes, and have canals leading from 
thence to the bottom of the fangs in the upper 
jaw, where they empty themfelves into a kind of 
bladder, from vv^hich the fangs on each fide pro- 
ceed. The venom contained in this bladder is a 
yellowifh, thick, infipid liquor; which, when in- 
je£ted into the blood, proves fatal; yet may be 
fwallowed without any danger. 
Thofe fangs v/hich inflicfl the wound, are large 
in proportion to the animal that bears them. 
They are crooked; but yet fufiiciently fharp to 
penetrate moil fubftances. They grow one on 
each fide, and fom.etimes two, from as many 
moveable bones in the upper jaw ; which, by Aid- 
ing backward or forv/ard, pofiefs a power of erect- 
ing or depreffing the teeth at pleafure. A num- 
ber of teeth are alfo arranged along thefe bones, 
v.'hich ferve only to feize and hold the animal's 
prey. Eefides this apt dii'pofition of the fangs, 
t'ley have an internal cavity; and an opening to- 
wards 
