celestial counterpart of the River Nile. It has also been identified with the Argonautic constellations.
In Greek mythology Hydra was the Lernæan monster, a great water snake, destroyed by the famous Hercules as the second labour imposed on him. It is related that this fierce serpent lived in a swamp near the well of Amymone, and was wont to ravage the country of Argos. The monster had one hundred heads according to Diodorus, fifty according to Simonides, and nine according to the more commonly received opinion of Apollodorus, Hyginus, and others. The head in the centre was said to be immortal. As fast as Hercules struck off one of the monster's heads with his club two new ones appeared in its place, and the task of slaying the monster appeared hopeless. At this juncture, the legend relates, lolaus, the faithful nephew of Hercules, came to his assistance, and suggested burning off the heads of the serpent. This they successfully accomplished, and the ninth head which was immortal they buried under a rock. Hercules then dipped his arrows in the Hydra's blood, which ever after rendered mortal the wounds they inflicted.
Juno, jealous of the success of Hercules, sent a sea crab to bite his foot while he was engaged in slaying the Hydra, but the giant easily disposed of the crustacean, much to Juno's disgust.
This myth connects Hydra with the Crab, a relation which, owing to their proximity in the sky, would seem to call for an explanation.
Burritt claims that this fable of the many-headed Hydra may be understood to mean nothing more than that the marshes of Lerna were infested with a multitude of serpents, which seemed to multiply as fast as they were destroyed.
Among the constellations we find the figures of three serpents. At the present time their position in the heavens does not appear especially significant, but in order to understand in a measure the history of the constellations, we must
