258 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
danger to be apprehended. This formidable class, though 
•without venom, have something frightful in their colour, as 
well as their size and form. They want that vivid hue, with 
which the savages are so much pleased in the lesser kinds. 
They are all found of a dusky colour, with large teeth, 
which are more formidable than dangerous. 
The first of this class is the great J r ho ya of Java and 
Brazil, which Leguat affirms he has seen fifty feet long. 
The largest animal of tiiis kind, which has been brought 
into Europe, is but thirty-six feet long; and it is probable, 
that much greater have been seen and destroyed, before 
they were thought worth sending so far, to satisfy European 
curiosity. The most usual length, however, of the jiboya, 
is about twenty feet, and the thickness in proportion. The 
teeth are small in proportion to the body ; nor are they 
used, but when it seizes the smallest prey. 
The Boiguacu is supposed to be the next in magnitude, 
and has often been seen to swallow a goat whole. It is 
thickest in the middle of the body, and grows smaller to- 
wards the head and the tail. It has a double row of sharp 
teeth in each jaw, shining like mother-of-pearl. The head 
is broad, and over the eyes it is raised into two promi- 
nences : near the extremity of the tail there are two claws 
resembling those of birds. 
These serpents lie hid in thickets, whence they sally out 
unawares, and raising themselves upright on their tails, will 
attack both men and beasts. They make aloud hissing noise 
when exasperated ; and sometimes, winding up trees, will 
dart down upon travellers, and twist themselves so closely 
round their bodies, as to dispatch them in a very few minutes. 
To this class of large serpents, we may refer the Depon A, 
a native of Mexico, with a very large head, and great jaws. 
The mouth is armed with cutting, crooked teeth, among 
which there are two longer than the rest, placed in the fore 
part of the upper jaw, but very different from the fangs of 
the viper. All round the mouth there is a broad, scaly 
border ; and the eyes are so large, that they give it a very 
terrible aspect. The forehead is covered with very large 
scales, on which are placed others, that are smaller, curi- 
ously ranged : those on the back are greyish. Each side 
of the belly is marbled with large square spots, of achesnut 
colour ; in the middle of which is a spot, which is round 
and yellow. They avoid the sight of man ; and, conse- 
quently, never do much harm. 
