ttz Of the fascinating FACULTY 



found in his ftomach, they are principally young 

 birds. 



1 have faid, that the black-fnake fometimes finds great 

 difficulty in obtaining his prey upon a tree. In fupport 

 of this affertion, 1 could adduce many fafts. But my 

 memoir has already exceeded the limits which I originally 

 prefcribed to it. I fhall content myfelf, therefore, with 

 relating a folitary faft, which ftrikingly illuftrates my 

 pofition. 



A black-fnake was feen climbing up a tree, evidently 

 with the view of procuring the young birds in the neft 

 of a baltimore-bird. This bird, it has been already 

 obferved, fufpends its nefl at the extremity oi the branch 

 of a tree. The branch to which the bird, of which I 

 am fpeaking, had affixed its neft, being very flender, 

 the ferpent found it impoffible to come at the neft by 

 crawling along it : he, therefore, took the advantage of 

 another branch, which hung above the neft, and twilling 

 a fmall portion of his tail around it, he was enabled, by 

 ftretching the remainder of his body, to reach the neft, 

 into which he infinuated his head, and thus glutted his 

 appetite with the young birds. 



The importance of this fa£t, in the inveftigation of the 

 fubje£t of my memoir, appears to me to be great. An 

 American foreft is not the filent rehdence of a few birds. 

 During the greater part of the fpring and fummer months, 

 our w-oods are alive with the numerous fpecies of refident 

 and vifitant birds. At thefe times, if the black-fnake 

 poflefles the faculty of fafcinating, it cannot be a difficult 

 thing for him to procure his food. Yet, in the inftance 

 which 1 have juft related, we have feen this reptile climb- 

 ing up a tree, and there obliged to exert all his ingenuity 

 to obtain his prey. 



1 cannot well conclude this memoir without obferving, 

 ?hat in the inveftigation of the fuhjed- which- it involves, 



I have 



