of the Evidence—Conclusion in Favour of Torpidity,

191 VI. THE CRESTED AND WATTLED SNAKE. Seba's Museum—His "Thesaurus"—Figures of Curious Serpents—What could they have been?—Proofs that they were Ophidian, not Piscine—Reports of Wonderful Serpent in Jamaica—Singular Character of its Habitat—Geological and Botanical Features—Locale of Three-fingered Jack—Crested Snake Killed here—Negro Stories of its Voice—Heard of in Hayti—Author's Efforts to obtain a Specimen—Occurrence of Two Specimens, 211 VII. THE DOUBTFUL. Viper Swallowing her Young—Conflicting Statements—Physiologically not Impossible—Reports of Witnesses—Mr Percival's Account—Mr Wolley's Corroboration—Mr Bond's Testimony—Case of the Rattlesnake—Seen by Palisot de Beauvois—Case of the Common Lizard—Comments on the Evidence.   Madame Merian—Her Truth Impeached—Her Story of the Lantern-fly—Denials of its Luminosity by Entomologists—Confirmation of it by Lacordaire—By Spinola—By Wesmael—English Insects only Occasionally Luminous—Mole-cricket—The Cause of ignis fatuus—Crane-fly—Luminous Caterpillars—Perhaps a Disease.   Madame Merian again Arraigned—Her Account of Spiders Preying on Humming-birds—Mr MacLeay's Denial and Proof of the Negative—Comment on his Evidence—Langsdorff's Evidence—Ceylon Spiders—Sir E. Tennent's Criticisms—Collateral Evidence for the Affirmative—Strong Webs of Nephila—The Solfuga of India—Account of its Habits—Attacks and Overcomes Small Birds—Captain Sherwill Saw a Spider Eating a Bird in India—Moreau de Jonnès' Direct Confirmation of Merian—Mr H. Bates's Conclusive Testimony, 220 VIII. FASCINATION. Power Attributed to Serpents of Paralysing their Prey—Dr Bird's Story of Black Snake—Rattlesnake and Squirrel—Cobra and Lizard—African Snake and Mouse—Snake and Frog—Habits of the Boomslange—Snake and Shrike—Snake and Mouse—Dr Evans's Observations on Serpents at the Zoological Gardens—Ringed Snake and Hedge Sparrow—Snake and Robin—Indian Serpent and Eel—Attempted Explanations—Mr Martin's Observations—Barton Attributes the Phenomena to Maternal Love—Explanation Inadequate—The Power Exercised by Other Animals—Lizard and Butterfly—Scorpion and Fly—Stoats and Hares—Foxes and Pullets—Eagle and Rabbit—Attractive Power of Fire—Entomologist's Bull's-eye Lamp—Yard-fire in Alabama—Insects come to the Fire—Titmouse around a Gas-lamp—Bell Rock Lighthouse visited by Herring-gull—Fire Fascinates Toads in Africa, 242 IX. SERPENT-CHARMING. Revulsion Inspired by the Serpent—Persons Professing Immunity against Venomous Serpents—Scriptural Allusions—The Ancient Psylli and Marsi—Babylonian Magician—Atyr—Immunity Distinct from Serpent-charming—Hexagon the Ambassador—Posterity of Psylli in Sennaar—Bruce's Curious Account—Various Plants Antidotic to Serpent-venom—Experiments on Simaba Cedron—Peruvian Serpents and Remedies—Various South American Antidotes—Vejuco of Venezuela—Grass of Dahomey—Immunity of Mangouste—Anecdotes—Of Hedgehog—Bruce's Account of the Cerastes—Hasselquist's Observations—Psyllic Woman—Power of Spittle—Influence of Music on Serpents—Proceedings of Egyptian Charmers—Rattlesnake Charmed by a Flute—Cobra of India Attracted by Music—Occasional Failures and Fatalities—Anecdotes—Comments—Psylli in London—Are the Poison-fangs Extracted?—Power of Snake-stones—Napier's and Tennent's Accounts—Faraday's Analysis—Plant-remedies, 263 X. BEAUTY. Delight in Beauty—Divine Appreciation of it—Magnificent Flower in a Thicket—Beauty of Deer—Pet Fawn—Eye of Gazelle—Spotted Fur—Zebra-stripes—Birds—Spoonbills on the Amazon—Carolina Parakeet—Cock of the Rock—Soft blending in the Goatsuckers—Resplendent Trogon—Metallic Colours—Rifle-bird—Plume-birds—Iridescent Hues—Sun-birds—Humming-birds—Mexican Names—Jamaican Humming-birds—Mango—Long-tail—Cause of changeable Lustre—Angle of Light—Other Examples—Region of the Amazon and Rio Negro—Birds—Fiery Topaz Humming-bird—Cerro of Potosi—Night-blowing Cactus—Bar-tail Comet—Pheasant tribe—Chinese Pheasants—Fire-back of Java—Argus of Malacca—Impeyan of India—Polyprectons—Peacock—Wild Peacock-shooting—Paradise-birds—Emerald—His Vanity in Dress—Splendour of Insects—Metallic Beetles—Soft Refulgence—Gem-scales—Butterflies—Changes of Hue—Opalescence—Ray on the "Cui bono?"—Smith on South American Butterflies—Splendour of Spiders—in Jamaica—in Borneo—Tortoise-beetles—Beauty of Plants—Mosses—Ferns—Palms—Grasses—Bamboo—in Jamaica—in Madagascar—Plantains—Scene in Tahiti—Beauty exceeds our Power of Imbibing it—Flowers—Orchideæ—Sobralia—Cypripedium—Anæctochilus—Dendrobium—Huntleya—Scene in Guiana—Death of Reiss—Rhododendrons of Himalayas—of Borneo—Lightning-tree of Madagascar—Flamboyant—Barbadoes Pride—Burmese tree—Le Bois Immortel—Scene in Tartary—Microscopic Beauties of London Pride, 302 XI. PARASITES. Fleas on fleas ad infinitum—Intestinal Worms—Economy of Creation—Epiphyte Vegetation—Life in a Sea-weed—Orchids in the Tropics—Parasitic Fig-trees—Lianes—in Ceylon—Parasitism in Insects—Ichneumons—Kirby's Discovery of Stylops—Economy—Oil-beetle—Medusa and Shrimp—Medusa parasitic on Medusa—Fish in Stomach of Starfish—Crab and Sponge—Hermit Crab and Polype—Parasites in Corals—Ostrich parasitic on Ostrich—Cuckoo and Cowpen birds—Veneration of Small Birds for Cuckoo—Slavery among Ants—Nigger-hunting, 359 APPENDIX. Sea-serpent—Additional Testimonies to its Existence—Statement of Consul Grattan—Communication from Mr Stephen Cave, 387

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