CERASTES

The two-horned desert snake of Egypt. The name cerastes was used by Greeks for the African snake which has a horny protuberance over each eye. Herodotus held that it was harmless, but Aristotle suggested that the horny parts over each eye might be horns. Pliny wrote that the Cerastes buried itself in the sand and moved its horns to attract birds. Like many other snakes, it was believed to be a detector of poison in food and drink, and to protect people from the evil eye.