Identifier: historicalgeogra04wint (find matches)
Title: An historical, geographical, commercial, and philosophical view of the United States of America, and of the European settlements in America and the West-Indies
Year: 1796 (1790s)
Authors: Winterbotham, William 1763-1829
Subjects: Zoology
Publisher: New York : Printed by Tiebout and O'Brien, for John Reid
Contributing Library: Princeton Theological Seminary Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Princeton Theological Seminary Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
doliatus (ipedoa firtalis annulatus ANGUIS, Glaffy fnake, . . Anguis vcntralij Chicken do. . • maculata Striped do. . . eryx Blind do. . • fragilis Brownifh fpotted do. . reticulata Yellowifh white do, . ■ lumbricalis Hi fling do. . • - Ring do. - , Pale-coloured do. with brown belts laticauda. Inhabits Carolina: fwims well, and is very dexterous in catching fifli. Dur-»ing fummer, numbers of them are feen hanging on the boughs of trees over therivers, watching the approach of fifh or fowl, and frequently drop into theboats pafTing beneath. They plunge on their prey, and- purfue it with greatfwiftnefs ; and as foon as they catch it, fwini alhore to devour it: are called theWater Raf.lefnake, and are fuppofed to be as fatal in their bite. The little hornat the tail gives it a dreadful name, as if armed with death at both extremities.The fuperftitious believe, that by a jerk of that part it can mortally woiiiid anyanimal, and even caufe a tree to wither by translixing the bark.
Text Appearing After Image:
OF AMERICAN REPTILES, 407 BOA. Hog-nofe fnake,Greenifti variegated do.Large fpotted do.Murine do.Afli-coloured do.Yellow fpotted do.Dufky white do.Pale-coloured do. Boa conftortrix, — canina, — conftriflor,* — murina,—: fcytale, — cenchria, — enydris, — hortulana. * This is an immenfe animal; it often exceeds thirty-fix feet In length ; thebody is very thick, of a duflcy white colour, and its back is interfperfed withtwenty-four large pale irregular fpots; the tail is of a darker colour, and thefides are beautifully variegated with pale fpots: befides, the whole body is inter-fperfed with fmall brown fpots. The head is covered with fmall fcales, and hasno broad laminae betwixt the eyes, but has a black belt behind the eyes. Itwants the large dog-fangs, and of courfe its bite is not poifonous. The tongueis flefhy and forked. Above the eyes, on each fide the head rifies high. Thefcales of this ferpentare all very fmall, roundifh and fmooth. The tail does notexceed one-eigh

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