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]].
[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.
[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]].
[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]].
[14]. L. Le Comte’s Memoirs, p. 504.
[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]].
[16]. Philos. Transact. abridg’d by Lowthorp, p. 811.