ASCRIBED TO THE RATTLE-SNAKE. SSfl} 



manlfefted, by its cries and its agitation, the violent a6][-.^n of 

 ■ the poilbn left in its blood, and diffufed through its circulation, 

 by the envenomed inoculation of the reptile's tooth ; that, its 

 ilrength gradually decaying, it would fly or leap from branch 

 to branch, till finally exhaufted it would fall before the fer- 

 pent, who with inflamed eyes, and eager looks, would watch 

 attentively every motion, and then dart on his prey, when it 

 ■;retained but a fmall portion of life. Several obfervations re- 

 lated by travellers, and particularly a fa6t mentioned by Kalm, 

 appeared to confirm this*." 



From this long quotation, it appears that Mr. de la Cepede Examination of 

 . , , J ■ n r I • • xu thefe doartnes. 



adopts two raodes, or circumliances, for explammg the mira- 

 culous power, which has been attributed to thefe ferpents. 

 The explanation is, undoubtedly, in both cafes, ingenious, 

 and entitled to notice. I fliall examine the queftion with that 

 attention which it defer ves. 



In the firft place, my learned friend fuppofes, that the rattle- 

 fnake's infedious breath f , by agitating the little animals which 

 it means to devour, may prevent their efcape. 



I do not altogether underftand this expreflSon of an infee- Obfervatlon to 

 tious breath. J do not think that we are in poflTefiion of any ^^.t^'emk '''*'' 

 fads by which it can be proved, that the breath of the rattle- any offenfivc 

 fnake is, in general, more infedious, or peftiferous, than that °^°"^> 

 of many other animals, whether of the fame or of a different 

 family. I know, indeed, that in fome of the larger fpecies 



'&c. vol.ii. p. 209 &210. His memoir, in the StveMJb Tranfa^ioKs, 

 I have not feen. Sir Hans Sloane, a long time fince, conjeftured, 

 that the whole myflery of the fafciuating faculty of the rattle-fnake 

 is this, viz. ** that when fuch animals as are the proper prey of 

 thefe fnakes, as fmall tjuadrupeds, birds, &c. arefurprifed by them, 

 they bite them, and thepoifon allows them time to run a fmall way; 

 .or perhaps a bird to fly up into the next tree, where the fnakes • - 



watch them, with great earneftnefs, till they fall down, or are per- 

 fectly dead, when having licked thera over with their fpawl or 

 fpittle, they fwallow them down." Fhilofophical 'Tranfa£iions, 

 vol. xxxviii. no. 403. M. de la Cepede does not appear to have 

 feen Sloane's paper; 



* Hiftoire Naturelle des Serpenf, p. 409, 410 & 411, a Paris; 

 '1789. 



•f- His words are, *' fon halelne empeftee, qui trouble quelque- 

 fois les petits animaux dont il veut fe faifir, pent auili empecher 

 qu'ils ne lui echappent," p. 409. 



