cii-cumfianccs relative to the animal wounding, or 
the creature wounded, may occafion very different 
confequences : hence remedies, which llicceed in 
one or two cafeSj are not to be regarded as 
fpecifics. 
The poifon of the Viper is only dangerous 
when immediately conveyed into the blood. It 
is neither noxious to eat the fleflT. of creatures 
killed by Vipers^ to drink the liquor in which 
they have been drowned, or to fuck the parts 
they have wounded : on the contrary, Signor 
Rcdi aiTerts, that fucking the wound is a fove- 
reign remedy againfc the bite of the Viper; but 
he denies, what has been affirmed by Ariftotle and 
Galen, that the fpittle of a fading perfon will kill 
thofe animals. 
The praftice of extrading poifon by fuftion is 
very ancient ; and indeed nothing can be more 
rational. Where the bite cannot be cut out, this 
is the mofc probable method of fucceeding: nor 
can there be any danger in performing that office, 
the poifon being perfe£tly innocent, unlefs taken 
into the body by a wound. The perfon, how- 
ever, who fucks the wound, ought frequently to 
wafh his mouth vv'ith fallad-oil, which will prevent 
the leaft inconvenience. After the wound lias 
been well fucked, it fliould be rubbed wirh warm 
falL'd-oil. A poultice of bread and milk, foft- 
ened with fallad-oil, fhould likewife be applied; 
and the patient fliould drink freely of vinegar 
•whey, or water-gruel mixed with vinegar, to bring 
on a perfpiration. Vinegar is, indeed, one of 
the very beft medicines that can be ufed in any 
poifonous cafe, and ought to be taken very libe- 
rally. ' This courfe,' fays the ingenious Dr. 
Buchan, ' will be fufficient to cure the bite of 
any of the poifonous animals of this country.' 
Though the bite of the Viper is fufficiently 
dreadful, notwithftanding the fnriplicity of the 
applications which are fometimes effeftual in 
curing it; yet it's flefh has long been celebrated 
as a noble medicine. A broth, made by boiling 
a Viper in a quart of water till it comes to a pint, 
is the mofh uilial method in which it is at prefcnt 
recomm.endcd; and it is faid to be a very powerful 
reftorative in battered conftitutions. The fait of 
Vipers is alfo fuppofed to exceed any other ani- 
mal fait whatever in giving vigour to a languid 
circulation, and in prompting to venery. 
VIPERA PILEATA, or VITTATA. An 
appellation by which fome naturalifts have ex- 
preffed a remarkable and dangerous fpecies of 
Indian ferpent, more ufually denominated Cobra 
de Capella. 
VISON. An animal of the weafel kind, fo 
called by Buffon; a native of North America. 
VITIFERA. An appellation by which fome 
ornithologifts have expreffed the common fenan- 
the, a bird well known in this country by the 
nam.e of the wheat-ear. 
VITTA CCERULEA. A name whereby 
fome conchologifts express a fpecies of the 
dolium> 
VITTA. An appellation by whick-Gaza and 
other ichthyologifts exprefs the taenia. 
VITULUS MARINUS. See Sea-Calf 
and Seal. 
VITULI AQUATICI. A term by which 
fome naturalifts exprefs thofe worms which re- 
femble animated horfe-hairs. See Amphisb^na 
Aquatica. 
VIVERRA, See Ferret, 
UNI 
VIVERRA. In the Li nnsean fyflrm, a dif- 
tinft genus of the order of ferae. The dilHn- 
guifhing charafters are : it has fix cutting-teeth, 
the intermediate ones being lliortefl: ; the grinders 
are more than three; the tongue bends back- 
v/ards, and is frequently aculeated; and the nails 
are extended. 
This genus includes fix fpecies; the ichneu- 
mon, or Indian quirpele; the na iia, or coati 
mondi of Brazil, ofareddifli colour, having it's 
tail annulatcd with wliite ; the narica, of a dufky 
colour, and the tail fometimes annulated with 
black and white, and Ibmetimes of an uniform 
dufky colour, which fome naturalids confider as 
a variety of the former; the putorius, or Ame- 
rican pole-cat; the zibetha, or civet; and the 
ginetta. 
ULULA. See Owl. 
UMBER, OR OMBRE. A provincial name 
for a fifh of the truttaceous kind, more com- 
monly called the grayling; and fometimes the 
thymallus. It is a much efteemed and very 
delicate f'-cHi-water fifh. 
UMBRA. A Mediterranean fiffi; calle d cro- 
mis by fome, and corvo by the Venetians. 
The Umbra is commonly about twclv-e or 
fourteen inches long, though it fometimes grows 
to the length of five or fix feet ; and weighs 
about fixty pounds. It is of a fomewhat deprelfed 
figure ; it's back is ridged, and rifes up from the 
head ; and, in it's general figure, it refembles the 
carp, except that it is broader. It's colours are 
very elegant, for a number of long oblique lines 
cover it's fides, alternately of a fine pale blue and 
a beautiful yellow. The fcales are moderately 
large ; and the covering of the gills, and a great 
part of the head, as well as the body, are over- 
fpread with them. The head is moderately large; 
the moutli is fmall; and there is a fingle beard 
depending from the chin. 
UMBRA, OR UMBRE. A bird found in 
the interior parts of the Cape of Good Hope, 
about the fize of a crow. The bill is three inches 
and a half in length, compreffed, cuneated, and 
carinated; the head is adorned with a large creft, 
near three times the length of the head, of an 
uniform deep brown colour, and pointing back- 
wards ; the tail is rounded at the end, brown, tipt 
with black, and crofTed with fix black bars ; the 
legs are long, and marked far above the knees 
with black ; the toes are femi-palmated, nearly 
of an equal length, the back toe being fliorter by- 
half than the reft; and the whole body is of the 
fame colo\iras the creil 
UMBRINO. An Italian name for the cora- 
cinus, or umbra; though fome authors will have 
the Umibrino to be a diftinft fpecies from the 
coracinus. 
UNICORN. A creature concerning wliich 
many fables have been invented ; and which, if 
it ever did exiil, is now to be found no more ; 
unlefs, reje6ling die numerous abfurdities and 
mifreprefentations which have been propagated 
bodi by the ancients and moderns, we confider 
it as the rhinoceros unicornis, the only animal 
in nature that in any refped: anfwers the defcrip- 
tion of the Unicorn, 
Indeed, the ancients themfelves appear to have 
queftioned the exiftence of this creature. The 
firft author who mentioned it was Ctefius, whom 
Ariftotle treats as a fufpicious hiftorian. .^lian 
fpeaks of it in very doubtful terms : and thofe 
fubfequent 
( 
