OF SERPENTS. 
247 
oundsput to its growth: their bones are in agreat measure 
caitilaginous, and they are consequently capable of great 
extension; the older, therefore, a serpent becomes, the larger 
it grows ; and as they seem to live to a great age, they arrive 
at an enormous size. J 
flr Le f' a J assu i'es us, that he saw a serpent in Java, that was 
ty feet long; and Carli mentions their growing to above 
forty feet. Mr. Wentworth, who had large concerns in the 
rebices, in America, assures us, that in that country they 
grow to an enormous length. He one day sent out a soldier 
with an Indian, to kill a wild fowl for the table ; and they ac- 
cordingly went some miles from the fort : in pursuing their 
game, the Indian, who generally marched before, beginning 
to tire, went to rest himself upon the fallen trunk of a tree, 
, s de supposed it to be ; but when he was just goin<j to sit 
(town, the enormous monster began to move, and the p°oor sa- 
vage perceiving that he had approached a jiboya, the greatest 
of all the serpent kind, dropped down in an agony. The sol- 
Uier, who perceived at some distance what hud happened, le- 
' el led at the serpent’s head, and, by a lucky aim, shot it dead • 
However, he continued his fire, until he was assured that the 
animal was killed: and then, going up to rescue hiscompanion 
who was fallen motionless by its side, he, to his astonishment 
found him dead likewise, being killed by the fright. Upon 
nis return to the fort, and telling what had happened, Mr. 
'Wentworth ordered the animal to be brought up, when it 
W’as measured, and found to be thirty-six feet lonl. 
J" tbe ^ a . st Relies the y grow also to an enormous size; 
t articularly in the island of Java, where, we are assured, that 
one of them will destroy and devour a buffalo. In a letter 
Printed in the German Ephemerides, we have an account of 
* c oinbat between an enormous serpent and a buffalo, by a 
1 ci son, who assures us, that he was himself a spectator. The 
■e'pent had, for some time, been waiting near the brink of a 
P°ol, in expectation of its prey ; when a buffalo was the first 
j ' at offered. Having darted upon the affrighted animal, it 
.Jistantly began to wrap it round with its voluminous twist- 
t n gs; and at every twist the hones of the buffalo were heard 
.o crack almost as loud as the report of a cannon. It was 
v am that the poor animal struggled and bellowed ; its 
W t ? 0U o ene, , ny entwmed 11 to ° closely to get free ; till at 
uiaf e a US b ° neS bemg mas,led 10 pieces, like those of a 
tlri jp ac tor on the wheel, and the whole body reduced to one 
pTev 01n1 l n •' aSS, tbe ser P el> t untwined its folds to swallow its 
j at leisure. To prepare for this, and in order to make 
