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Several species of them live quietly about the habitations of mankind, and sometimes enter their houses and fix their residence there. They destroy troublesome animals and noxious insects which they find; but are so far from hurting human beings, that they often pass over their bodies and faces when asleep, without doing any injury. They wander about the rooms with great familiarity, and often seem to choose the finest bed for their repose.*

Serpents are so tamed as "even to show stronger signs of attachment to their masters than many kinds of domesticated birds, or even of quadrupeds, being only surpassed in fidelity by the dog."+ Their length of life is unknown, and most likely differs in their various species. They can exist so long without food, that it is probable, like the tortoise of Mr. White, whose eating season was the summer, they only seek it at particular periods.§

They have no voice, but a híss, as their windpipe has no epiglottis to close its upper orifice, and thereby modify the extruded air into modulated sound. But this utterance is softer or stronger, according to circumstances; and is used whenever they are inclined to produce any sound. It is therefore the voluntary effect and expression of the animal's emotions, feelings, and wishes; and from being spontaneously and forcibly issued when these occur, we may infer that it intends by that to signify its sensations. It is thereperson or animal that disturbs them in their combats or their attachments; and, on some occasions, the male defends his mate with the utmost violence." La Cep. 42.

*La Cep. 43.

† La Cep. 44. As to the fascinating power ascribed to the eyes of some of the serpent tribe, Dr. Barton, after having examined the subject, is of opinion that it does not exist; and that the reports of it have arisen from what has been noticed of the fears and cries of birds and other animals, when their nests and young seemed in danger. The alarmed bird watches the snake, and moves about it to prevent these from being discovered.

Reasoning from their comparative growth, the Count La Cepede infers that the great serpents live as long as the crocodiles. p. 52.

§ M. Audubon had a rattlesnake in a cage which for three years refused all food. Bull. Univ. 1828, p. 359. Kalm found that this tribe "would live six months without food, refusing every kind of nourishment." Kalm's Trav. N. Am. It is said that a viper can live a year without any nourishment. "Mr. Pennant kept several in a box for several months without food, and yet they did not seem to have lost any part of their usual vivaciousness." La Cep. 220.. Dr. Shaw mentions that he saw at Venice two cerastes, or horned serpents, which had been kept in a large crystal vessel five years without any visible food. Travels Egypt, p. 411.

T In the larger serpents, it appears only to indicate want, desire or rage. No peaceful sensation seems to actuate them in any sufficient degree for being expressed by their organs of voice." La Cep. 63.

fore meant by the serpent to be what words of passion, excitation, appetite, or desire are to us; for it is in these expressions of its mind that the varied sibilation is heard. Its milder sensibilities are not accompanied by any vocal annunciation. Yet perhaps if they were sufficiently studied, some light whispering or murmuring tones would be found to indicate their content or pleasure, since the hissing marks their excitement; as several animals of prey accompany their sense of comfort with the softer modifications of their vocal sound.*

Serpents have great strength, from the peculiar construction of their body. They are so tenacious of life, that it is difficult to kill them by wounds in the body or by the exhaustion of air. Severe cold only suspends the activity of their vital principle, without destroying it. The rattlesnake can bear to be thawed and frozen alternately, without extinguishing its life or functional powers. They have been, from all antiquity, and in most countries, celebrated for their great cunning or sagacity; which must be chiefly displayed in their modes of evading their enemies, or of obtaining the prey they seek for, when they desire it.llSome serpents are eminently beautiful, for their brilliant

* La Cepede makes the distinction, that "almost all animals of prey, as eagles, vultures, tigers, leopards, &c. only emit their cries when about to seize their prey, or to join in mortal combat; while most domestic animals and singing birds soften their voices into the expressions of peaceful joy, or tranquil and innocent pleasure." But Mr. Kerr adds to this a qualifying recollection, that "hawks, a species of eagle, and all the feline genus, have distinct expressions for peaceable satisfaction, for playfulness, and for caressing their young and their mates." p. 64.

"This enormous strength in serpents is easily accounted for, from the immense number of powerful levers formed by their chine and ribs, acted upon by a body almost entirely composed of muscle, which winds all around the enemy they mean to destroy." La Cep. 67.

After Redi and Boyle had apparently killed them by the total abstraction of air from the glass of an air-pump, they exhibited signs of life twenty-thee hours afterwards on re-admitting the fluid. One, taken near the fire, darted out its forked tongue, though it died the next day.

§ M. Audubon found a rattlesnake in winter as rigid as a stick, in a complete torpor, but, being placed in a bag on his back, he felt it move and took it off. It issued from the bag full of life, but the cold soon brought back its former state. He revived it several times by placing it near the fire. While it was torpid, all its organic functions ceased. He has often found them torpified, with much food In their stomachs frozen and not digested; but when he exposed the animal to heat, the digestion began again, and continued till the food disappeared. Bull. Univ. 1828, v. 3, p. 358, 9.

Their food is according to their size and kind. Vipers take insects, beetles, scorpions, small lizards, young frogs and moles, small mice and toads. The great serpents lie in wait near waters, for goats and ante. lopes; and the great box will attack and swallow even the tiger.

its natural state it will, if interrupted, erect itself and hiss, either with anger or fear, yet it does no harm.* It has been known to exhibit attachment and affectionate feelings to its human friends.t The Roman or Esculapian viper is as mild and tractable. The lady viper unites the same attractive temper with a superior beauty of form and colour. The boiga has a still more magnificent appearance,|| with the same acquiescing gentleness, and with an attempt at a musical intonation of the serpentine hiss.**

Of the other serpents, it need only be mentioned, her that the enormous boa twists itself round calves, and sheep * La Cep. 343.

+ Bomare mentions of a viper, what seems referable to this species: "It was so fond of a woman who kept and fed it, that it often rubbed along her arms, as if to caress her, and concealed itself among her clothes, or even in her bosom. It was obedient to her voice, came to her when called, followed her continually, seemed to know her laugh, and would turn to her as she walked, as if waiting her orders. On one occasion, Bomare saw her throw it into the water from a boat, as she was in one on a river; but obedient to her voice, it endeavoured to swim after her, till it perished in the waves." La C. 345. Bom. Dict. Hist. Nat.

It is found in France, Spain and Italy. "It is as gentle and harmless as the green and yellow, the collared, the smooth, and the fourstriped vipers; but perhaps more familiar in its manners. It allows itself to be caressed and handled by children. It likes to be near inhabited places, glides frequently into houses, and sometimes slips into the beds." It casts its skin. La Cep. 365, 6.

§ Coluber domicilla. Linn. "This is one of the gentlest and most beautiful of serpents. Its proportions are more elegant and delicate than in most others; its nimble yet moderate motions augment the pleasure produced by the beautiful mixture of its fine colours." La C. 377....."It seeks warm situations." "The smallness of its size, the beauty of its colours, the gentleness of its motions, and the innocence of its disposition, inspire the Indians with a fondness for it. Women take it in their hands, caress and cherish it. The ladies in Malabar place it in their bosoms, and it seems perfectly sensible of their kindness." La C. 379..... The laced viper is as pretty, gentle and favoured. v. 4, p. 16. C. ahaetulla. "This species combines the richest colours of the finest gems, with the splendour of burnished gold mixed with the heightening contrast of dark brown shades, The scales of its head, and the whole upper surface of its body, are blue, changing its hue as it moves in the light; sometimes to an emerald green. This is finely variegated by a chain of golden yellow. The whole under-surface is of a silver white, separated from the back by a golden stream on each side, the length of the body. It seldom exceeds three feet in length, but is not an inch in diameter." La Cep. p. 39.

"In the Isle of Borneo, the children play with it; carry it in their hands, and twirl it about their necks, arms and bodies. The boiga returns caress for caress to the Indian children, who fondle it; and seems pleased with their play." La. C. 42.

"It conceals itself under trees, to surprise small birds, and is said to attract them by a peculiar kind of whistling." This, by a manifest exaggeration, has been called a song, in the description of Seba's Museum, La Cep. 41. .

and goats, to crush their bones, and then swallows them whole, as common serpents absorb a toad.* It has been seen to overcome, kill, and devour tigers in this way, though not till after a desperate struggle.t The dangerous rattlesnakes are too well known to you to be described in this letter; but their pleasing sensibilities ought to be noticed ;+ and also the fact, that they do not willingly injure mankind.s Nor will my space admit of any detail as to the genus of snakes, nor of the remaining classes. The facts which have been selected will serve to give you a sufficient general idea of this order of those diversified animated beings, which have been appointed to inhabit our highly variegated earth. In Egypt and Africa, serpent flesh has been made an article of human food; and modern as well as ancient nations have made them objects of religious veneration.¶

La Cep. 193, 5. For the most part it exceeds 20 feet in length. In Congo, they are 25; in the Molucca Islands, and in the Great Amazon river, from that size to 30 feet. 196, 7... The Mexicans worshipped it. 202. It is also venerated in Mozambique and Japan. 205.. It has crushed and swallowed wild he goats, stags and buffaloes. 213, 214.

† An account of a struggle of this kind in India, was published in several periodicals, in a letter from a person who saw it and the tiger's fate. The boa, as with others, smeared his victim over with a slime, to facilitate the deglutition. One is affirmed to have thus swallowed a Buffalo. Bingl. 207.

"Mr. St. John once saw a tamed rattlesnake as gentle as a reptile could be. It went to the water, and swam, whenever it pleased: and when the boys to whom it belonged, called it back, their summons was readily obeyed. They often stroked it with a soft brush; and the friction seemed to cause the most pleasing sensations; for it would turn on its back to enjoy it, as a cat does before a fire." Bingley, Animal Biog. v. 3, p. 203. Its fangs had been extracted.

$If not provoked, these animals are perfectly inoffensive to mankind, being so much alarmed at the sight of man, as always, if possible, to avoid them, and never themselves commencing an attack." Bingl. 203. Catesby remarks that they are never aggressors, except in what they prey upon. They have no inclination to bite, unless disturbed, and then give notice by shaking their rattles. Nat. Hist. Car.

Dr. Th. Shaw says of Egypt, "I was informed that more than 40,000 persons in Cairo and in the neighbourhood, live upon no other food than lizards and serpents. This singularly entitles them to attend on the embroidered hanging of black silk, made every year for the Kaaba of Mecca." Trav. Barb. p. 412.... Lopez mentions that the negroes of Congo and Angola feast on the boa, "as they prefer its flesh even to poultry." Hist. Gen. Voy. 173, 249. ... Carli mentions the same fact: "They feast upon its flesh, rejecting only the skin, tail, head and entrails." La Cep. 221. ... Captain Stedmans mentions that the negroes wished to eat the boa he shot at, declaring its flesh to be exceedingly good and wholesome.

The Gentoo Indians revere the fatal cobra di capello, as the Mexicans deified the boa. "They distinguished it by a name signifying emperor. All its motions were watched with great attention; and its long and violent hissings were heard with universal consternation. Some public