Z^O^ 



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CHAPTER XVII. 



TI/£ RATTLE. 



THIS Crepitaadum caude, as an American has called 

 it, has been the theme of many speculations. Its 

 origin and its use have been discussed alike by the scientific 

 and the unscientific, nor have they even now arrived at 

 any very definite conclusions on these two points. There 

 are theories as to its development, its form and size, its age 

 and its utility, the caprice witnessed in all of these adding 

 to the romance of its history ; and whether its length 

 increases by a link annually, or on each occasion of 

 desquamation, have been among the questions connected 

 with it. If we believe what the American Indians declare, 

 an additional joint to the rattle grows whenever a human 

 being falls a victim to that particular snake — a tradition 

 more poetical than rational. The Indians also think the 

 rattle vibrates more in dry than in wet weather, and are 

 therefore cautious in traversing the woods during rainy 

 seasons. This belief has given rise to the idea that the 

 rattle is affected by damp — a fact which was affirmed so 



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