the Ttatthfnale, an^ other American Serpents. U^^ 



worthy of the attention of American naturalifts, who enjoy 

 the bed opportunities of inveftigating the fubjea. I am, 

 indeed, inclined to think that we are not yet acquainted with 

 the real or exclnfive ufe of the rattle of the crotalus. That 

 it was given to this reptile to warn man and other animals of 

 a dano-erous enemv, does not appear a fufficient explanation 

 of the°ufe of the organ. Many ferpents whofe poifon is not 

 lefs deleterious than that of the rattlefnuke, are entirely de- 

 ftitute of any apparatus like the crepitacuUnn of this reptile, 

 Befides, we have feen that, when molt intent upon obtaining 

 his prev, the ratllefnake keeps his rattle Hill. This would 

 feem to (how that it was not defigned to terrify its enemies. 

 Indeed, it is highly probable that"one reafon why the rattle- 

 fnake fo frequeiTtly fucceeds in capturing animals is, becaufe 

 he makes no n Vife, and therefore furprifcs his [wey. 



I do not doubt that the crepitaciilum of the ratllefnake is 

 an organ of very efll-ntial importance : but I muft fay that it 

 has afways been deemed of more importance than it can yet 

 be fhown to be. Thus it has been faid to give an unerring 

 indication of the age of the reptile. In this refped it is a lefs 

 fare criterion than^has been generally imagined. It is a faA 

 which, I believe, has entirely efcaped the notice of all the 

 writers on the natural hillory'of this reptile, that the rattles 

 are formed before the exclufi'on of the young ones from the 

 uterus. Towards the latter end of Augull a number of female 

 rattlefnakes were opened. The yoimg animals were about 

 five inches long, and about the thicknefs of a fmall-fized 

 goofe quill : the fcales were formed fo as to be vifible to the 

 naked eye ; the head very large, and the fangs, though of a 

 fomewh'at trelatinous confidence, were fliaped, and diftinftly 

 vifible. The rattles were (o far formed liiat three bells could 

 be plainly diCcerned ; and this was the cafe in more than fixty 

 inftances. Hence it is evident, that when they are excluded 

 from the womb the young animals have at leali three rat- 

 ties. After this, I believe, they generally accjuire two bells 

 every year. Yet, in one inllauce, a rattlefiiake * has been 

 known to acquire four bells in the term of a year, f may 

 add, that the bel's are liable to be loft: they are fomctimcs 

 broken, and it is not improbable that they wear out. 



I am fometlmes almofl inclined to think, with your learned 

 and eloquent countryman Mr. Herder, that " natural hif- 

 lory has reaped no advantage from the philofophy of final 

 caufes." And yet without an inquiry into the ultimate in- 

 icnlions of nature, what is natural lii'ftory ? A barren walle 



• In the Muftum of Mr. I'calc. 



of 



