MEMOIR ON AIMPPIIBIA. 365 



ralifts have had it in their power to obferve them attentive- 

 ly, and for a length of time ; and becaiife the greater nnm- 

 ber of naturalilts have been contented with reporting the 

 fads collected in their travels.* 3d, Becaufe the oppor- 

 tunities to make fuch obfervations are few, and require a 

 long and particular attention, which few men are capable 

 or willing to afford. 4th, Laftly, becaufe thefe reptiles, 

 in order to exercife with fecurity this imputed power, muft 

 feek retired fpots, in which birds, fquirrels, &c. are not 

 fiibjeil to alarm, and mull be themfelves at liberty to em- 

 ploy the means given them by nature to provide for their 

 fubfiftence. 



Let us add to thefe refiedtions a few fa£ts which give 

 them additional force. It is within the knowledge of the peo- 

 ple of Philadelphia and of the United States at large, that 

 Mr. Peale, whofe eftablilhment as well as zeal for the pro- 

 grefs of natural hiftory, is deftined to produce in this 

 country a tafte for fo interefting and ufeful a fcience,^ has 



kept 



* The celebrated Catefby to whom we are indebted for fo many obferva- 

 tions and difcoveries, more or lels interefting, confelfes, fpeaking of the 

 boiqiiira (crotaUis horridus. Linn.) that he never was an eye-witnefs of 

 the pretended effefts of the enchantment excrcifed by this reptile over birds, 

 fquirrels, &c. but that he is convinced of the fifts. Might not the fame be 

 true of an obfervation related by him, and which upwards of twenty per- 

 fons have confirmed to me in my travels, that if the ferpent is killed while 

 tlius fixing an enchanted bird or fquirrel, the charm ceafes, and die animal 

 delivered from the enchantment takes its flight. This obfervation, the 

 ftrongell in favour of fuch an opinion, and attefted by naturallfls of re]Hita- 

 tion, appears to me to have much weight, but to require confirmation. 

 Kalm has likewife pretended, that when the boiquira is taken and finds itfelf 

 ihut up, it refufes all kinds of nourilhment. The obfervations to be related 

 in this memoir will prove what degree of confidence is to be placed in fuch 

 reports. 



f Let me be allowed to avail myfelf of this opportunity of paying Mr. 

 Peale the tribute which every lover of this beautiful and ufeful fcience owes 

 to his zeal, his courage, and his conftancy. Without other iifliftance tlian 

 his love for tlie produftions of nature, and his o\\ti induftry, he has fuccecd- 

 ed in forming a mufetmfi, already very interefting, and which will become 

 more and more fo daily. The Philofophical Society by accommodating him 



with 



