Retrospective Criticism, 165 



seen coiled up and at rest, in the fork of a tree, at about 

 8ft. from the ground; that " the rattlesnake sometimes 

 takes to the water, and is found a considerable distance 

 from the shore in salt water ;" that the rattlesnake, in its native 

 woods, feeds on squirrels ; even, occasionally, on the largest 

 American squirrel (5'ciurus t;ulpinus), rabbits (Zepus ameri- 

 canus), and also rats (Arvicola floridana Ord^ and, from the 

 wording of the manuscript, probably other species of rat) ; 

 and that, with regard to the means by which rattlesnakes cap- 

 ture these animals, it is possible that " rattlesnakes may yet be 

 discovered to be nocturnal in their habits ; possessing a degree 

 of activity at night which is not exhibited by day, unless hard 

 pressed by hunger." As this communication is professedly 

 in reply to Mr. Waterton, who has, in VII. 67., line 8. and 7. 

 from the bottom, observed that *' nobody doubts that rattle- 

 snakes swallow squirrels," it is needless to occupy space to 

 confirm an assertion which Mr. Waterton has not disputed. 

 The Rev. J. Bachman states that he had not seen a later 

 number of this Magazine than the one for Sept. 1833. The 

 MS. will be returned to the party through which it reached us, 

 to be published elsewhere, entire, if our elision dissatisfies.] 



With regard to the experiments of Audubon on the powers 

 of smelling, usually ascribed to the turkey buzzard (C. Aura) 

 [VI. 84. 163.], I acknowledge that he has adopted views op- 

 posed to the long established opinions of naturalists. But no 

 one who will read his paper on the subject, containing a full 

 detail of a number of experiments on the habits of this vulture, 

 can deny that, if he intended to deceive the world, he cer- 

 tainly chose a subject where detection was easy and certain. 

 In our southern cities, these birds, with their kindred species 

 Cathartes atratus, are so abundant in our streets and on our 

 house-tops, as to have become a nuisance. It is but due to 

 Mr. Audubon to state, that, in his frequent visits to this city, 

 be has fearlessly invited investigation on this subject. During 

 his absence, he has written to me on several occasions, urging 

 me to make farther experiments. A number of engagements 

 prevented me from devoting as much time to the subject as 

 was necessary to investigate it in such a manner as to prove 

 satisfactory to my mind, and I postponed it to a more leisure 

 period. On the recent visit, however, of Mr. Audubon to 

 this city, I consented to institute these enquiries ; in the pro- 

 secution of which I was aided by the intelligence and expe- 

 rience of such disinterested naturalists and men of science as 

 could be obtained. 



On the 16th of December, I commenced a series of expe- 

 riments on the habits of the vultures (C. Aura and C. atratus); 



M 3 



