I 
COL 
AC.i, which has been almofl univerfally ufed in medicine; 
particularly as an incitement to libidinous delires. It is 
abundant in Egypt; and is found in other parts of Africa 
as well fis Alia. It is from twenty inches long, to three 
'feet and upwards, variegated with rich chel'nut brown 
l'pcts or bands, on a lighter brown ground, the fcales re¬ 
markably fhort, clofe fet, and hard ; the eves are vertical, 
the head cornprefl’ed and covered with very minute dark 
brown fcales, and reddifh itripes. It is very poifonous, 
but not often fatally fo, and is furnilhed with 118 abdo¬ 
minal fcuta, and twenty pair of fub-caudal fquamae ; in 
all 138. Linnaeus calls it a native of Egypt; whence its 
Common name Egyptian wiper. Our engraving of this 
\iper, in the Coluber, Plate V. was taken from the living 
iubje£l by Seba, and is therefore undoubtedly corredl. 
2. Coluber variegatus, the variegated viper ; fo named 
from the mixture of colours on its body, which is mottled 
with white, brown, and grey ; the fides and belly are pale 
yellow ; and its form and fixe is much the fame as the 
preceding. It is a native of America, but not poifonous. 
3. Coluber venofus, the veined viper; a fpecies of a 
dufky red colour, with tranfverfe white narrow veins or 
bands. The fcales are fmall, and thick fet; the head 
oblong, elevated or enlarged in the hinder part. It is a 
native of South America, Ceylon, and the Eafl Indies ; 
and perfectly harmlefs. 
4. Coluber inteftinalis, the intefline viper; lurking in 
fecret and hidden places for its prey. It is a lmall fpecies, 
inoffenfive to man, and devoid of poifon. Its prey is in- 
iefls, lizards, frogs, toads, and mice. The ground co¬ 
lour of its body is a reddifh brown, mottled and variega¬ 
ted with white tranfverfe bands, and narrow longitudinal 
lines on the back and fides. It is a native of Africa, and 
found plentifully on the coaft of Guinea. 
5. Coluber Clotho, the deadly viper; native of South 
America and Ceylon. It is one of the larged and molt 
dangerous of this genus ; yet it is an elegantly glittering 
and beautiful ferpent, covered with large oblong fcales, 
radically faftened in the Ikin, but yet loofe and eafy to 
move, which when irritated it erects, as a dog does the 
the bridles of his neck when enraged ; and by that means 
it makes a noife like the rufhing of hail ; intended doubt- 
lefs by providence to admonifh thofe who are near to be 
upon their guard. The fcales, when they lie clofe one 
upon another, give a light yellow tint, variegated with dark 
brown (pots,'and between thele, other fmaller ones like 
ltreaks ; from the neck to the end of the tail, and to each 
of the fcales on the upper part of the body, there is a fmall 
deep brown fpot, with a fmall termination-like the eye of a 
needle. Many fcales occur between the bright fpeckles, 
heightened by a cinereous colour, with a dafh of yellow, 
which are no fmall ornament to the undulating motion 
of this ferpent. The head is fhort, round, and fhming, 
with two large eyes flafhing with fire. It has four long 
teeth in the mouth, crooked, two above and two below, 
not fadened in the jaw, but tied and fecured by tendons, 
fo that they appear encafed in a (heath ; there are alfo 
fmall teeth, which are fadened near the throat, like little 
hooks, at the end of the cheek bone ; the tongue is forked, 
long, and capable of being much extended. The mouth 
is encircled by an elegant, broad, fquamated fringe; 
the upper part of the body is beautifully ornamented 
with thin lquamujae, charged with tranlparent brownifh 
fpots. The mouth is large and the nodrils very wide. 
The fub-caudal fquamae are tranfverfe, very large, of a 
pale cinereous, and marked by irregular faint brown fpots. 
Francis Hernandez, in bis Hiilory of the Reptiles of New 
Spain, p. 70. fays, “ This fpecies of the Clotho is found in 
the ifland of Cuba, with a head like a calf, armed with 
four teeth and that the animal is upwards of four yards 
long. Near the commencement of the tail are two 
fpherical tedicles, each marked with a black fpeck. It is 
a curious circumdance in animals of this genus, to find 
the male genital members outwardly affixed, it i$ fup- 
U B E R. 795 
pofed they only come down during the feafon allotted 
them for procreation. 
6. Coluber Lachefrs, the fatal viper ; very nearly re- 
fembling the preceding both in its form and habitudes. 
Like it, the head is fliort and round ; the mouth large 
and wide, armed with four curvated teeth, two in each 
jaw ; the eyes darting fire ; and its bite infilling cruel 
and inevitable death. It has alfo the faculty of erecting 
its fcales at pleafui'e, or when irritated, and of doling 
them again with a loud rufhing noife, Seba confiders if 
as the female of the Clotho; but Linnaeus and Gindin 
make it a feparate fpecies. . A border of filver white fOales 
furround the mouth 5 the tongue is flefliy and forked, 
which the creature can protrude to a great length when 
offended ; at which time it alfo ffiews its teeth in a me¬ 
nacing pollute, like a fnarling dog, and thus it can ffiew 
or conceal its fangs at pleafure. The fcales on the upper 
part of the body-are elegantly fpeckled with pale yellow, 
cinereous grey, black, brown, pale yellow, and white, 
glillening moll fuperbly in the fun. It is found in South 
America, and in the ifland of Ceylon ; it will attack man 
or beall with great fury, erefting its crelt, and darting 
forward with lingular rapidity and courage. 
7. Coluber Atropos, or life-confuming viper; a native 
of the burning zone of Africa, and of the warm regions 
of South America; it is alfo found in the ifland of Cey¬ 
lon, and in the remote provinces of Afia. The ground 
colour is afilvery white, variegated with black irregular 
fpots and blotches. The head is broad and gibbous; the. 
mouth large and blunt; the eyes like drops of pearl, fur- 
rounded with a green iris ; the head cordated with a qua¬ 
druple row of tranfverfe white beadlike lines, paffing be¬ 
hind the eyes, on a black ground ; the fcales are varied, 
fome large and fhield-formed ; others fmall and pointed ; 
all remarkably llrong and clofe fet. This, like the two 
preceding, is a mofl dangerous and formidable ferpent, 
whole poifon,though not fo rapidinitsefre6lsastheothers, 
yet caufes a llupefadlion of the mental faculties, a wall¬ 
ing of the fleffi by incurable confumption, and finally 
death : whence thefe three latl-mentioned vipers, by way 
of metaphor, have been denominated the three fatal fijlers. 
This is furnilhed with 131 abdominal fcuta, and 22 pair 
of fub-caudal fquaniae ; in all 153. The figures we have 
engraved of thefe three terrible lei pents, are by Albertus 
Seba, and may,therefore be depended upon as authentic. 
8. Coluber leberis, the calt-fkin viper; a native of 
North America, found principally in Upper and Lower 
Canada. It is marked with black lineal Itripes, and often 
calls its fkin. The abdominal fcuta are no, the fub- 
caudal fquamre 50 ; in all 160. 
9. Coluber lutrix, the otter viper; a native of South 
America, and India. It preys on fifh, and is often found 
on the banks of lakes and rivers. The body is of a dull 
yellow, and bluiffi on the fides. It has 134. abdominal 
cuta, and 27 fub-caudal fquaniae ; in all 161. 
10. Coluber calamarius, the quilted viper; of an ele¬ 
gant livid colour, interfefled or quilted over with brown 
lineal itripes; the under parts and fides fringed with 
brown. It is a native of America, and confidered as in¬ 
offenfive. The abdominal fcuta ate 140, and the fub- 
caudal fquamae 22 ; making in the whole 162. 
11. Coluber dubius, the doubtful viper, a native of 
America, and not known to be injurious. It has 141 ab¬ 
dominal fcuta, and 24 fub-caudal fquamae; in all 165. 
12. Coluber fimus, the flat-nofed viper; a native of 
Carolina. The head is gibbous, flat, and armed with 
pointed fcales; little curved black flripes pais between 
the eyes, with a fmall crofs on the hind pari of the head, 
marked with a black fpot in the middle. The upper part 
of the body is a mixture of black and white, dilpofed in 
obfeure bands; the under part black. It has 124 abdo¬ 
minal fcuta, and 46 fub-caudal fquamae ; in all 170. 
13. Coluber flriatulus, the furrowed viper ; a native of 
America, found principally -in Carolina, It is long and 
, Header; 
