ElfEMIES OP SBRPEFTS. 
80 
branes, especially in those investing the heart and lungs. 
The intestinal worms observed by M. Eudolphi/^ in dif- 
ferent species of Ophidians, belong to the following genera : 
— Ascaris, Distoma, Filaria, Echinorhynchus, Taenia, 
Strongylus, Trichosoma, Pentastoma, and Cucullanus. 
The Parasites which are exteriorly attached to the skins 
of serpents, and suck their juices, are much less numerous 
than those we have just mentioned. Only a single genus 
is found, the Ixodes, and especially that with a gilded 
thorax, which I have also observed on the Monitor Lizard, 
on the Hog, the Pangolin, and some other East Indian 
animals. M. MullerI has described this insect. Metaxa:J 
has observed on several Ophidians of Italy, parasites which 
he has recognised as forming two species of Acarus. 
Daudin§ speaks of others found on the Boa Cenchria. I 
have detached some of them from Pythons, from the Dipsas 
dendrophila, and several other Javanese serpents. 
Serpents are useful by the destruction of hurtful ani- 
mals, such as the small Gnawers^ worms, insects, mollusca, 
&c. which they pursue. Formerly snakes were employed 
in medicine, and this practice is still retained by many 
people, although it has been rejected by the more refined 
nations. Very recently Dr Marikrosky,|| of Bosenau in 
Hungary is said to have employed with success the bile of 
serpents in cases of epilepsy. 
[Snakes are still much employed in the pharmacy of 
Spain and Southern Italy. The translator found living 
snakes in the apothecaries shops in the former country as 
regularly as sarsaparilla with us.] 
The frejudice against serpents in many countries is 
greatly superior to their utility. The venomous species 
multiply so in certain intertropical countries, and particu- 
larly in the Island of Martinique, that they are a real 
plague, and annually cause the death of a great number 
of men and domestic animals. The Aquatic snakes often 
do much damage in lakes and rivers abounding with fish ; 
^ Entozoorum Synopsis, p. 762, 
t Ixodes OpMophilus, Aata Nov. xvi., part ii., p. 232. (PL Ixvi.) 
X Monograph, § 7 and 9. § Rept. vol, v., p. 202. 
11 Hufeland’s Journal, annee 1831, cah. 10. 
H 
