Some say ’tis of the aspick kind, as the _Arabians_; in length a Cubit or more, with two Horns on the Head, resembling Snail-Shells: It lies perdue near travelling Paths, and is very crafty in decoying little Birds into the Snare. Its Wounds soon kill, if one of the _Psyllian_ People be not immediately called in. _N. B._ These _Psylli_ are a noted People of _Syrenaica_ in _Africa_, endued with a natural Faculty of destroying Serpents upon sight, and curing their Wounds by a Touch of the Hand of whom we have this Account, _viz._ ... _Crates_ of _Pergamus_ says, that about _Parium_ in the _Hellespont_, there were Men, named _Ophiogenes_, who cured those wounded by Serpents with a Touch. _Varro_ testifies there were some of them in his time. _AGATHERCIDES_ writes, that in _Africa_ the _Psyllians_ (a People so called from King _Psyllus_, from whom they were descended, and whose Sepulchre is to be seen at this day in the greater _Syrtes_) did in the same manner heal People wounded by Serpents. ’Tis said they had some extraordinary Quality in their Nature, that would suddenly kill all Serpents. It was by these they tried the Chastity of their Wives, thus, _viz._ When a Child was born, and its Legitimacy questionable, they laid it in a _great Vessel_ full of these _cerastick Serpents_, that immediately breathed Destruction; but when they came near the Child, their Rage soften’d, and they immediately fled from it; which proved the Legitimacy of the Child, that he was a true _Psyllian_, born in lawful Wedlock, because Serpents could not poison it, nor endure its Presence[108]. Footnote 108: _In dolium cerastarum plenum infantem conjicere_, Ælian. lib. i. cap. 57. Gyllii Accessio, cap. 37. _N. B._ If the Child was begotten by a Stranger, ’twas killed by Poison; if lawfully begotten, the Privilege of his Father’s Blood protected him against the Venom. However this romantic Account may appear, it may doubtless be philosophically accounted for by Effluviums emitted from their Bodies, that proved fatal to Serpents. The _English_ Annotator upon _Lucan_, who was Nephew to _Seneca_, observes much to the same purpose, when he says, These _Psylli_ (a People inhabiting those parts of _Africa_ called _Marmarica_, bordering on the _Nile_) are fortify’d by Nature with an incredible Privilege against the Strength of Poison, and sustain no Harm by the biting of Serpents. The Serpents, says _Pliny_, are afraid of them, and when others are bitten by them, these _Psyllians_ by sucking the Wounds, cure them. The _Marsians_ in _Italy_, ’tis said, are still in possession of this natural Power against Serpents, and are supposed to descend from the Son of _Circe_, the famous Enchantress.