it. These creatures are very voracious, but, when glutted with food, become stupid and drowsy, and lie for a considerable time in a torpid state, when the most destructive of the kind may be approached with safety. The eyes of all serpents are small, and have a malignant and heavy appearance, and the whole expression seems to be that of a creature meditating mischief. The holes for hearing are very visible in all, but they appear to have no conduits for smelling; whether or not they enjoy this sense, and in what degree, cannot easily be ascertained. The tongue, in all these animals, is long and forky; it is composed of two long fleshy substances, which terminate in sharp points, and are very pliable. The tongue at the root is very strongly connected with the neck by two tendons, which give it a variety of play. They are continually darting them out, which presents a terrific appearance; but not really dangerous, the situation of the poison, in those which possess it, being quite distinct.

The serpent tribe possess lungs, yet for what purpose does not appear: though they are often perceived to draw in their breath, yet never to respire it again. The heart is formed, as in the tortoise, frog, and lizard kinds, so as to work without the assistance of the lungs. It is single, the greatest part of the blood flowing from the great vein to the great artery by the shortest course. From this contrivance of nature, two consequences are gathered:-that the creature is amphibious; and that it is torpid in winter,

like the bat, the lizard, and other animals formed in the same manner. The skin is composed of a number of scales united to each other by a transparent membrane, which grows harder as it grows older, until the animal changes it, which it generally does twice a year; this cover then bursts round the head, and the creature rubbing itself between two hard substances, glides from under its skin, by an undulatory motion, into a new skin, much morevivid and beautiful than the former. If the old slough be then viewed, every scale will be distinctly seen like a piece of network.

The teeth in all serpents are crooked and hollow, and, by a peculiar contrivance, capable of being erected or depressed at pleasure. Some have fangs or canine teeth, others are without them; this seems to be the mark of distinction between the venomous and the inoffensive in the poisonous kinds the glands which form the venomous fluid are situated on each side of the head behind the eyes, and have canals leading from thence to the bottom of the upper jaw, where they empty into a kind of bladder, from which the fangs proceed.

The venom contained in these bladders is a yellowish, thick, tasteless liquor, the smallest particle of which, injected into the blood, inflames the part, contaminates the whole frame, and occasions death; yet which may be swallowed without injury. The fangs which give the wound are large in proportion to the size of the animal that bears them, and crooked, yet

sharp enough to inflict a wound, into which the venom immediately passes.

Serpents are exceedingly voracious in their appetite, and kill and eat every animal that they can conquer; yet with this extraordinary voracity, they unite as great a capacity of abstinence, having been known to exist for six or eight months without any food whatever.

Some serpents are silent, others have a peculiar cry; but hissing is the sound they commonly send forth, either as a call to their kind, or as a threat to their enemies.

In the hot countries, where they chiefly abound, they remain concealed and silent through the heat of the day, but as the cool of evening approaches, they are heard to issue from their cells with continued hissings; and such is the variety of their notes, as almost to resemble the singing of birds.

All kinds of serpents more or less emit an offensive smell; some to such a degree as almost to poison the surrounding atmosphere. This, however, has been greatly magnified in fabulous history, and received with unhesitating credulity by the weak-minded and superstitious.

Some serpents are remarkably acted upon by musical sounds. That they might be rendered tame and harmless by certain charms, or soft and sweet sounds, and trained to delight in music, was an opinion which prevailed very early and universally, and is confirmed by the testimony of many writers and travellers. We

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are informed that adders have been known to swell themselves at the sound of the flute, and, raising themselves upon one-half of their bodies, have turned round, beat time, and followed the sound of the instrument. Another traveller of reputation relates having seen, at Grand Cairo, a nest of serpents of two feet long, black and ugly, kept by a Frenchman, who when he came to handle them, would not endure him, but ran and hid in their hole: then he would take his cithern, and play upon it; they hearing his music, came all crawling to his feet, and began to climb up to him, till he gave over playing, then away they ran.

Of this peculiar attachment to music in serpents, many jugglers have availed themselves, and some of the feats which they cause them to perform are truly astonishing. In these curious exploits, none are so expert as the natives of India. It is their regular employment, from which they derive a competent livelihood; though it is chiefly on the pockets of foreigners that they levy their contributions.

Some kinds, however, refuse to be thus fascinated, and ingeniously press one ear close to the ground, and fix the tail upon the other, so that the sound cannot enter; others will hiss to such a degree as to drown any musical sounds that may be produced; and others, again, are described as naturally void of the faculty of hearing-to such we shall find allusions in scripture.

The fiery flying serpent, though small, is one of the nost dreadful and destructive in its effects. It has