inA On the fafc'iTiating Facultj afcr'ihed to 



whether impelled by a kind of curiofity, mifunderflanding, 

 or dreadful fear, to follow it, as it would feem, of their own 

 acc-ord. At Jeaft," continues Mr. Bkunenbach, " I know, 

 iVom well-informed cye-wilnefl'cs, that it is one of the com- 

 mon pra<fticcs among the younger favagcs to hide themfelves 

 in the woods, and, by counterfeiting the hiflingof the rattle- 

 fnake, to allure and catch the fcjuirrels"." 



On this pailage I made fonie remarks, which were brought 

 too-elhcr luider three di(lin6t heads. I obfervcd, ift, That 

 *' the faculty of falcinating is by no means ]ieculiar to the 

 ratllefnakc, but is attributed asexlenfively to the black fnake, 

 and other ferpcnts, which are not fuiniflicd with the crepi- 

 taculum, or fet of bells." 2dly, That '• fonie perfonSj who 

 have fecn the rzUtlefnake in the fuppofed a6l of charming, 

 iifl'ure me that ihe reptile diet not (liake its rallies, but kept 

 them ftill ;" and lafily, I was inclined to think that there was 

 i)o fohd foundation for the (lory upon which, in part at Icaft, 

 Mr, BUmienbach has founded his theory. 



I.t is certainly the prevailing opinion in this country, that 

 the bkck fnake and other fcrpents, as well as the ratllc- 

 fnake, are endowed with the faculiy of fafeinaling or charm- 

 ing other animals. It is well known that none of the fer- 

 ments except the diflercnt fpecies of crotalus are furniflied 

 '.vith the cri'pilaculmn caud^E^ or rattle, and no attempt has 

 been made to point out the diftcrcncc*(if there be a diflerence) 

 in the modes of fafcinating employed by thefe feveral fer- 

 pcnts, with the exception of the remark made by a few of 

 the Indians and N^hites, that the ralllefnake charms with its 

 rattle f. But we (lial! afterwards fee that this is by no means 

 the 2;encral opinion among the Indian? or Whites. 



Sujce the printing of my memoir, I have been afllired h^ 

 a verv iutciligent pcTfon |, w ho, living in a part of the coun- 

 try which abounds In rattiefnakes, has had many opportuni- 

 ties of atlendino- to the manners of thefe ferpents when watch- ^ 

 ino- for th-eir prey, that at fuch time the rattlefnake does not 

 move his rattle, but lies (iill. This is a confirmation of the 

 fad mentioned in my memoir. " It is very probable," how- 

 ever/ as M. Blumen'bach obferves, " that the cafe here may 



* See a Memoir, ^"C. psges 46 and 47. 

 ) See a Memoir, ivc. page^ 14 snd is;. 



+ Mr. S^rr.uel Prtfton. " Dr. Mead (fays Mr. Prcfton) fuppofes the 



• tatki on (h:ir tail to b*e ufeful for that purpofc (viz. charming) ; but he 



is much miftakcn, as I have a<ftu.illy lecn r.hcm engaged in the procefs 3 



' nutnber of times. They do not make any noitb with their rattle; they He 



porfedly fiilU *\it'i an open mouth and iparkli.ig eyes.'' — Letter to me, 



■ dsted Siockp'-itt, Au^iiil -, 1 79^- 



b<* 



