Anguis Viridis Maculatus: The Green Spotted Snake.
These Serpents sometimes grow to four times the Bigness of the
Figure, are said not to be venomous, and are great Robbers of Hen-Roosts,
sucking Eggs, tho' their Size seldom enables them to detour the
Fowls. As the change of Marks and Colour in some Serpents cause
Confusion in distinguishing them, I would willingly avoid Mistakes,
by describing the same Snake twice, and multiplying the Kinds to
more than there are: And I am diffident in determinating, whether
this be a different Kind from the spotted Ribbon Snake, p. 51. Which
somewhat resembles it, tho' of a different Colour.
Apocynum Scandens, Salicis folio, flore amplo pleno.
This Plant trails upon, and is supported by Trees and Shrubs to
the Height often, and sometimes twenty Feet, the Leaves stand by
Pairs on Footstalks an Inch long, shaped not unlike those of a Sallow,
of a shining Green, and stiff, their Veins hardly discernable. These
Leaves are apt to curl, or turn back as the Figure represents; the
Flowers grow at the Ends of the smaller Branches, six or eight in
a Cluster, on Footstalks above an inch long, are tubulous, having
five Petals at the Mouth of the Tube, with broad square Ends.
They resemble in Shape the Flowers of the Mangus. Hort. Malab.
T. 39.
The Seed-Vessels, as is usual in this Tribe, grow by Pairs, are
eight or ten inches long, cylindrical and bend inwards, growing
a little tapering towards their Points, which meet and touch one
another exactly: The Colour of the whole Flower is yellow: The Pods
when ripe discharge small flat milky Seeds, with white Down, like
most other Apocynums. They grow on many of the Bahama Islands.
53

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