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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