M. Auduboirs Nutes on the Rattlesnake. 25 



mous snake, is found in great numbers in all the lakes and 

 watery swamps of the Southern States. 



Periodical torpidity in snakes, as in almost all animals subject 

 to it, has been wisely ordered, on account of the very slow growth 

 granted to most of them. Snakes, as well as alligators, increase 

 in size very slowly, and are consequently long-lived ; — but how 

 transient, if needed, this most wonderful power granted them to 

 live, to die (as it were), and to live again, is, I shall try to de- 

 scribe by the following curious fact. M. Augustine Bourgeat, 

 whose name will be ever dear to me, my younger son, and my- 

 self, were hunting one winter-day for ducks, and having halted 

 a while near a lake, we struck up a fire. Being desirous to eat 

 what we were pleased to call our dinner, we began picking and 

 cleaning some of our game. The youngest of our party ran 

 about for wood, and, anxious that a good supply should be at 

 hand, attempted to roll a log, at a short distance, towards the 

 spot pitched on. In doing this, my son discovered so large a 

 rattlesnake closely coiled up, in a torpid state, that he called us 

 to come and look at it. It was stiff as a stone, and, at my 

 request, my son put it into my game-bag, then upon my back, 

 for farther observation. Shortly afterwards, whilst our game 

 was roasting upon the wooden-forks stuck in front of our 

 cheerful fire, I felt something moving behind me, which I 

 thought for a moment was occasioned "by the struggles of a dy- 

 ing duck ; but presently recollecting the dangerous animal, I 

 begged my friends to see if it was not the snake ; and being 

 assured that it was, the time employed in unstrapping and 

 throwing off the bag with the reptile, was, I assure you, of very 

 short duration. The snake was then quite alive, issued from 

 the bag, and began rattling, with its head elevated, and thus 

 ready, while the body was closely coiled, to defend itself from all 

 attacks. The distance at which it then was from our fire, and 

 the consequent cold, would, I thought, soon conquer it ; and in 

 this I was not mistaken ; for, before our ducks were roasted^ 

 the snake had stopped its alarum, and was bent on finding a 

 place of refuge, again to become torpid. Having finished our 

 meal, my son, who had watched all its movements with the eager- 

 ness of youth, brought it again, with a smile, saying, " Papa, 

 look at Hercules and the serpent !'' We took it home, and it 



