of the ferpent tribe, is that of carting their fkins at cer¬ 
tain periods, and appearing in a ftate of fuperior beau¬ 
ty in point of colour than before. This is one of the 
principal caufcs of that difficulty which obtains amongft 
Naturalifts of determining the fpecies ; fince one and 
the lame animal may vary extremely in colour at diffe¬ 
rent feafons, and therefore be miftaken for a different 
fpccies. Linnaeus gives a very good and probable rea- 
fon for this, viz. ‘That lince the Author of Nature has 
‘ armed many of the ferpent tribe with a dreadful poi- 
* fon. He has ordained that all fhould cart their fkins, in 
‘ order to infpire a neceffary univerfal caution and fuf- 
‘ picion of the whole tribe.’ 
i 
