205 On the Natural History of North America. 



this is a doubtful point. Several of our species of rana are 

 entirely undescrihed by naturalists. I may, with great con- 

 fidence, make tile same observation concerning our ser- 

 pents. The Hide black rattlesnake, which inhabits the 

 marshy grounds, is, I think, a new species. This species 

 is seldom more than a foot in length, and is deemed ex- 

 tremely venomous. I suspect the species described by Mr. 

 de Beauvois (in the Transactions of our Society), and which 

 he calls crofahis adamanttnns, is the same as that which is 

 found in South America. I think it is not quite certain 

 that the crotalus horridus, the most common species of 

 North American rattlesnake, extends to South America. 

 But I do not wish to be understood as speaking positively 

 on this subject. 



The history of the rattlesnake is by no means complete. 

 I have, within the last two years, devoted a great deal of 

 attention to this curious subject- I have had a number of 

 living rattlesnakes under my immediate care. I have made 

 a considerable number of experiments to ascertain the ef- 

 fects of the venom of this reptile upon difterent animals. 

 It is unquestionably a most pov/erful poison, Tt often kills 

 ill a very few minutes. The effects of the poison are very 

 various, not only in different species of animals, but even 

 in different individuals of the same species. It sometimes 

 induces most violent pains, which, if we may judge from 

 the cries of the bitten animal, continue nearly to the close 

 of its life. At other times, the poison induces death with- 

 out creating any or but very little pain. Hitherto my prin- 

 cipal experiments have been made with warm-blooded ani- 

 mals, such as dogs, cats, and rabbits. I am inclined to 

 think that the venom exerts very inconsiderable effects upon 

 cold-blooded animals. Warm-blooded animals that have 

 been most violently affected by the poison, sometimes strug- 

 gle through the danger, and perfectly recover, although no 

 remedy has been applied. This may serve to show how 

 many inert vegetables have acquired the reputation of curing 

 the bite of the rattlesnake. I have ventured to apply a por- 

 tion of the undiluted venom of a rattlesnake, recently 

 thrown from its fang, to my tongue, I made this experi- 

 ment in the presence of several gentlemen. But 1 do not 

 think I shall venture to repeat the experiment, I did not 

 find the venom insipid, as the abbe Fontana and his servant 

 did the venom of the viper. It had, on the contrary, a 

 peculiarly pungent taste, and left, for a considerable time, 

 a pretty strong sense of heat upon my tongue and fauces. 

 My observations have extended to every thing that might 

 7 ' tend 



