Chapter IV: Section III

Serpents are supposed to have many Enemies, besides Man, as the _Eagle_, _Hawk_, _Stork_, _Ibis_, _Ichneumon_, _Magaure_, _&c._ I shall only touch upon some of these: _Ibis_ is a Bird of _Egypt_, and a faithful Ally in the War against Serpents; vast Numbers of winged Serpents are annually bred in _Arabia_, from whence, at certain Seasons, Swarms of them take their flight across the _Red-Sea_ into _Egypt_: Upon the first notice of their Arrival, the _Ibidian_ Birds assemble in Troops, and immediately fly upon the Invaders, and soon destroy them. In the same manner they execute Vengeance upon the Serpents of _Ethiopia_, when they molest the Land[11].

Footnote 11:

_Conradus Gesn._ p. 55. _Ray. Gyllius._

The _Storks_ destroy all Serpents that fall in their way, and are so greatly regarded in _Thessaly_ for this kind office, that it is counted a capital Crime to kill a _Stork_, and the Criminal is punished as in the case of Man-slaughter.

[12]The Stork’s Bill is very long and sharp, with which it makes a rattling kind of Noise: It is said, the Chirurgeons have learn’d the Clysterick Art from these Birds.

Footnote 12:

_Pliny’s Nat. Hist._ Tom. i. B. 10.

The _Storks_ also are esteemed the Clergy’s Friends, for the Author of the _Book of Nature_ says, they will not inhabit any City in _Germany_, where no Tythes are paid to the Priest. An Orthodox Brood of Birds!

When _Moses_ conducted the _Egyptian_ Army against the _Ethiopians_, he was to pass through a Country full of Serpents, and to secure his Forces from them in their March, he carried with him several of these _Ibidian_ Birds, before whose Fury they fell or fled[13].

Footnote 13:

_Josephus_, B. ii. Cap. v. p. 65.

_ICHNEUMON_ is a little Animal of bold Spirit, and a great Destroyer of Serpents, and therefore the _Egyptians_ keep it in their Houses, as we do Cats; and the young ones are commonly sold for that end at _Alexandria_. In form it resembles an overgrown Rat, and is called the _Indian-Rat_, and _Pharaoh’s Rat_; and by its mighty Atchievements, it must be of some considerable Bulk; for in its Encounters with great Dogs, Crocodiles, Serpents, _&c._ it generally comes off victorious: Upon their Approach it bunches up, and bristles up its Hair, in token of Defiance: It couches on the Ground, and leaps like a Bull-dog at its Prey.

By some it is call’d the _Egyptian Otter_; ’tis of a dun Colour, has round Ears, black Legs, and long Tail: It cannot endure the Wind, and runs for Shelter, when it rises, sometimes thrusting its Head between its hinder Legs, in a round Form like a Hedge-hog.

Those who have examined into Kites Nests, have found Vipers in them, which are supposed to be Food for their young ones. In _China_ is a little Creature like a Weezel, called _Magaure_, that is a mortal Enemy to Serpents, which it kills by striking its Teeth into their Heads. The _Chameleon_ trembles at the Sight of this little Furioso[14]; whose Ears are short and round, its Nose like that of a Ferret, its Tongue and Teeth like a Cat, which is a Creature it destroys in a Minute, though not the easiest to be killed. The _Argoli Serpents_ in _India_ destroy Asps; therefore by _Alexander_ the Great’s Command, they were transported to _Alexandria_[15].

Footnote 14:

_L. Le Comte’s Memoirs_, p. 504.

Footnote 15:

_Johnstonus_, p. 16.

Whether the Serpent hates Man more than other Creatures, is with me a question; be that as it will, it is wonderful to think, that notwithstanding Man’s and other Creatures invincible Hatred of Serpents, yet hitherto they have been able to support themselves in a State of War against all the World.

Even among Vegetables are found Enemies to Serpents; as the _Dittany_ of _Virginia_, or the _wild Penny-royal_; the Leaves of which, says my Author, being bruised, we tied in the Cleft of a long Stick, and held them to the Nose of the _Rattle-Snake_, who by turning and wriggling, laboured hard to avoid it, and in half an hour’s time was kill’d by it: This was done _July_ 1657, at which Season those Creatures are computed to be in the greatest Vigour of their Poison; it is also remarkable, that in those Places where the _wild Penny-royal_ grows, no Rattle-Snakes are observed to come[16].

Footnote 16:

_Philos. Transact._ abridg’d by _Lowthorp_, p. 811.

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