CERASTES. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Coluber Cerastes. C. subferrugineus, maculis distantibus sub- 
ovatis subtransversis fuscis, palpebris cor- 
nutis. 
Subferruginous snake, with distant subovate 
subtransverse brown spots, and horned 
eyelids. Shaw Gen. Zool. 3. p. 385. 
pi. 103. 
Coluber Cerastes. Scutis 150, scutellis25. 
Linn. Syst. Nat. Gmel. 1. p. 1087- 
Coluber coRnutus. Hasselq. It. p. 315. 
no. 6l. 
Cerastes. . . . Bruce's Travels , oct. ed. v. 7 * P- 292. 
This venomous serpent is a native of Egypt, as well 
as of Syria and Arabia. It was respected by the an- 
tient Egyptians, and placed among their sacred 
symbols, where its figure may, to this day, be traced 
on the columns of their temples, the walls of their 
palaces, &c. The cerastes is at once distinguished 
from other snakes by two small, pointed, and curved 
horns, situated over the eyes ; these little appen- 
dages give the animal a very terrific appearance, 
though they are not offensive weapons. Mr. Bruce, 
