Si per obliquum similis sagittæ
Terruit mannos.
——immisit (jaculum vocat Africa,) serpens
Perque caput Pauli transacta tempora fugit
Nil ibi virus egit: rapuit cum vulnere fatum.
Lucani Pharsalia, lib. ix. p. 273.
Authors are not agreed about its Dimensions. Ambrosinus speaking of one he had seen in the Bononian Musæum, says, ’tis about the thickness of a Staff, and about three Foot long: It is found in Egypt, its Wounds are dreadful, being attended with Putrefaction and Defluxion of the Flesh.
That which Bellonius saw, was three Palms long, or sixteen Inches and a Finger’s Breadth. N. B. Palmus stands for two different Measures; Palmus major contains twelve Fingers; Palmus minor, four Inches.
It lies in wait under Bushes, from whence it rushes out unawares, and flies like an Arrow at Passengers: Before it leaps at the Prey, it lies on the Ground, and turns itself round, to give the greater spring to the Motion, by which she’ll do execution at twenty Cubits distance[[171]].