The Snake. 501 
Of this kind are the dancing-snakes, which are carried 
in baskets throughout Hindoostan, and procure a main- 
tenance for a set of people, who play a few simple notes 
on the flute, with which the snakes seem much delighted, 
and keep time by a graceful motion of the head; erect- 
ing about half their length from the ground, and follow- 
ing the music with gentle curves, like the undulating 
lines of a swan's neck. It is a well-attested fact, that, 
when a house is infested with these snakes, and some 
other of the coluber genus, which destroy poultry and 
small domestic animals, as also by the larger serpents 
of the boa tribe, the musicians are sent for ; who, by 
playing on a flageolet, find out their hiding places, 
and charm them to destruction : for no sooner do the 
snakes hear the music, than they come softly from their 
retreat, and are easily taken. I imagine these musical 
snakes were known in Palestine, from the Psalmist 
comparing the ungodly to the deaf adder, which stop- 
peth her ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the 
charmer, charm he never so wisely. 
THE SNAKE, (Coluber natrix,) 
Is the largest of all English serpents, sometimes exceeding 
four feet in length. The colour of the body is variegated 
with yellow, green, white, and regular spots of brown 
and black. They seem to enjoy themselves when bask- 
ing in the sun, at the foot of an old wall. This animal 
is perfectly innoxious, although many reports have been 
circulated and believed to the contrary ; it feeds on 
