ASCRIBED TO THE RATTLE-SNAKE, Sec. 91 



" their abhorrence, by fnorting, winnowing, and ftart- 

 ing from the road, endeavouring to throw their riders, 

 in order to make their efcape."* This fadl related by a 

 man of rigid veracity, is extremely curious ; and, in an 

 efpecial manner, delerves the attention of thofe writers, 

 who, like M. de la Cepede, imagine that this fetid ema- 

 nation from ferpents is capable of affecSling birds, at fmall 

 diftances, with a kind of afphyxy -f. It even gives Jb/iie 

 colour of probability to the ftory related by Metrodorus, 

 and prefervcd in the Natural Hijiory of Pliny ."^. 



The fails which came imder the notice of Mr, Vof- 

 maer, at the Hague, are curious, and deferved to be 

 mentioned. But they do not appear to me to be proofs 

 of the exiftence of an infeftious or mephitick vapour pro- 

 ceeding from the mouth of the rattle-fnake. 1 am not 

 at all furprized that the birds and mice that were put 

 into the cage, along with this reptile, fliould exhibit the 

 motions which were obferv'ed by the Dutch naturalift. 

 When the little animals fquatted down in a corner of the 

 cage, they were, mofl: probably, impelled by the inftindt 

 of fear, which is fo powerful, and fo extenfive, in the 

 vafi: family of animals. When they ran towards the fer- 

 pent, it may have been fear that actuated them. 



In conducing a feries of experiments, it is ever a 

 matter of importance, that the mind of the experimen- 

 tallft fhould be free from the dominion of prejudice and 

 fyftem. Perhaps, fads are never related in all their 

 unadulterated purity except by thofe, who, intent upon 

 the difcovery of truth, keep fyftem at a diftance, regard- 

 lefs of its claims. The ftrong democracy of fadts ihould 

 exert its wholefome fway. I cannot help thinking, that 

 if Mr. Vofmaer had difbelieved the fafcinating faculty 



* MS. note communicated to me. 



f Hiftoire Naturelle des Serpens, p. ^)^. 



X Lib. ,\.\viii, cap. 14. 



of 



