^S Of the FASCINAllNG FACULTY 



The fnakc, whatever its fpecles may be, lying at the 

 hottom of the tree or bulh upon which the bird or iquu"- 

 rcl fits, fixes its eyes upon the animal which it defigns 

 to faftinate, or enchant. No fooner is this doiie than 

 the unhappy animal (I ufe, for the prefent, the lan- 

 guage of thofe who differ from me in opinion, on this 

 iubjcd) is unable to make its efcape. it novv begins to 

 utter a moft piteous cry, which is v.'ell known by thole 

 who hear it, and underftand the whole machinery of the 

 bufmefs, to be the cry of a creature enchanted. If it is 

 a fquirrcl, it i-uns up the tree for a fnort diftance, comes 

 down again, then runs up, and, laftly, comes lower 

 down. " On that occafion," fays an honeft but rather 

 credulous writer*, " it has been obferved, thatt c fquir- 

 rel always goes down more than it goes up. The fnakc 

 ftill continues at the root of the tree, with its eyes fixed 

 on the fquirrel, with which its attention is fo entirely 

 taken up, that a perfon accidentally approaching, may 

 make a confiderable noife, without the fnake's fo much 

 as turning about. The fquirrel as before mentioned 

 comes always lower, and at laft leaps down to the fnake, 

 whofe mouth is already wide open for its reception. 

 The poor little animal then with a piteous cry runs into 

 the fnake's jaws, and is fwallowed at once, if it be not 

 too big ; but if its fize will not allow it to be fwallowed 

 at once, the fnake licks it feveral times with its tongue, 

 and fmoothens it, and by that means makes it fit for 

 fwallowing -f-." 



It would be eafy to cite, from different authors, other 

 accounts of the manner in which the enchantment is per- 



* ProfefTor Peter Kalin. 



f Travels into North-America ; containing its natural hiftory, and a 

 circumftantial account of its plantations and agriculture in general, &c. 

 &c. vol. i. p. 317 & 318. Alio vol. ii. p. 207, 208, 2C9 & 210. Eng- 

 lilh Tranflation. London: 1770&1771. 



4 formed ; 



