times approach the plantations and gardens of thedif- 
tricls neareft to their refidence. 
It is happy for mankind tnat thcfe gigantic ferpents 
are not poifonous ; they are therefore to be dreaded 
only on account of their vaft fize and Hrength, which 
latter is fo great as to enable them to kill cattle, deer, 
and other animals by writhing themfelves round them, 
fo as to crulh them to death by mere preffure; after 
which they fwallow them in a very gradual manner, 
and when thus gorged with their prey, grow almoft 
torpid with repletion ; and if difcovered in this hate 
may without much difficulty be difpatchcd by ffiooting 
or by other methods. 
Confidered as one of the great deftroyers of the 
animal world, this ferpent muft be viewed with horror; 
but if we take into confideration only its form and 
colors, we cannot deny it a very great ffiare of external 
beauty; like many of its tribe, it is apt to vary in color, 
and appears in a more or lefs vivid Hate according to 
the period ot life in which it happens to be found ; but 
it is generally of a grey iffi color, variegated on the back 
and fides in the moft curious manner with large oblong 
patches and fpots of bright reddilh brown, which are 
Hill further decorated by having black margins, fur, 
rounded both internally and externally with flreaks of 
white and yellow ; the belly is commonly of a y'cllow- 
iffi white. 
It w r as in all probability an enormous fpecimen of 
this very ferpent that once diffufed fo violent a terror 
amongH the moH valiant of mankind, and threw a 
)vhole Roman army into djfmayv Hiflorians relate 
this 
