serpent eau (serpento)

[F. serpent eau, a young serpent, a serpent (firework), dim. of serpent, a serpent: see serpent.] An iron circle having small spikes to which squibs are attached, employed in the attack or defense of a breach. Serpentes (sér-pen'tēz), n. pl. [NL., pl. of L. serpen ( t- ) s, a serpent: see serpent.] 11. In the Linnean system, the second order of the third cla ( Amphibia ), containing limble reptiles referred to six genera, Crotal us, Boa, Coluber, Anguis, Amphisbæna, and Cæcilia, the first three of which are properly serpents, or Ophidia, the fourth and fifth are lizards, or Lacer til i a, and the sixth is amphibian. See Amphibia, 2 (a). -2. Same as Ophidia. serpent-fish (serpent-fish), n. The bandfish or snake-fish, Cepola rubescens. See cut under Cepolidæ. IMG:content-0678.jpg:[ocr errors] 5512