On the fascinating Tower of Snakes. 383 



A variety of hypotheses have been formed to account for 

 this remarkable power; some supposing the animals to have 

 been previously bitten, and from that cause unable to avoid 

 their enemy ; others, that the serpent emits from its body a 

 stupefying; vapour : it has been likewise asserted, that those 

 birds that flutter round the mouth of the animal are in ge- 

 neral those which nestle on the ground, in bushes, or on 

 low trees, and which, having eggs or young in their nests, 

 expose their lives through love for their brood at the ap- 

 proach of their enemy. The most common opinion is that 

 which is given in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, article Self- 

 pent, viz. That the serpent is endued with an occult pro- 

 perty of attracting small animals to it by its look, somewhat 

 analogous to the attraction of iron by the magnet. The 

 generality of philosophers, unable to account satisfac- 

 torily tor this circumstance, and their minds revolting at 

 the idea of admitting any occult or fascinating property in 

 the animal, have peremptorily denied the fact. In opposi- 

 tion to the above opinions it has been observed, that the 

 effect of the bite of a serpent is entirely different to that 

 which attends fascination ; and likewise, that if the serpent 

 be disturbed the animal runs away uninjured. That it can- 

 not arise from a stupefying vapour, is evident from birds 

 living and enjoying themselves when put in a box with a 

 rattlesnake. Fascination has likewise been observed to take 

 place where no nest could be in the neighbourhood, and 

 the bird at first at a considerable distance from the snake : 

 besides, the same effect takes place with small quadrupeds. 



It appears to me that this wonderful effect, which has 

 been a matter of such astonishment, may be accounted for 

 by attributing it to extreme fear. That this passion is suf- 

 ficient to account for it, I shall attempt to prove ; and if it 

 appears to be so, where will be the necessity of admitting 

 amy occult or fascinating property in the snake ? That ex- 

 treme fear has the effect of rendering a person motionless is 

 undoubted; there are few people who do not know in- 

 stances of it: I could relate several, were it necessary. To 

 what other cause can we attribute the fluttering of small 

 birds in circles round hawks until they are seized and de- 

 voured, or the sudden fixed posture of a deer on the sight 

 of a tiger? The fluttering of pea-fowls around it must arise 

 from the same cause : nor can it be attributed to any pecu- 

 liar property in the tiger, as one painted upon canvas is 

 found to produce the same effect. 



It is ^sserted by many (see Philosophical Magazine, 

 vol. ii. page 253.) that the rattlesnake fascinates .small birds 



and 



