Book IV. . 
KEPTILES. 
1. Serpents, or Ophidian Reptiles, 
SEBPENTS. 
Serpents are characterised by an elongated body, clothed 
in scales and destitute of limbs, but furnished with a 
tail. They move by lateral undulations of the body ; 
and in this manner they glide with equal ease along the 
bare ground, through entangled thickets or water, and 
up the trunks of trees. They possess the power of fast- 
ing a great length of time, and when they feed always 
swallow their prey whole, which they are enabled to 
accomplish by their faculty of dilating their bodies to an 
enormous size. This power is carried to such an extent 
that a Boa Constrictor can swallow a bullock whole, 
suffering no other inconvenience than that of lying in a 
state of torpor while digestion is proceeding. Serpents 
generally roll themselves up when in a state of repose, 
with the head in the centre ; and when disturbed raise 
the head before they uncoil the body. The Serpent is 
often made a subject of poetry ; and as it was the form 
adopted by the arch fiend to seduce Eve, it is generally 
considered the emblem of insinuation and flattery : 
" on his rear, 
Circular base of rising folds that tower'd 
Fold above fold, surprising maze, his head 
Crested aloft, and carbuncle his eyes. 
