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468 The Fascination of Snakes. 
olson as a guide, without referring to other authors. I have 
not at hand a copy of the Philadelphia Edition,* in which it 
is possible the mistake has been corrected; if so, it will be 
less important to notice it now, but if that should not be the 
case, I beg you will insert this communication. D. 
Ill. The fascination of Snakes ; by Mr.N ASH.—lI have of- 
ten heard stories about the power that snakes have to charm 
birds and animals, which, to say the least, I always treated with 
the coldness of skepticism; nor could I believe them until 
convinced by ocular demonstration. A case occurred in 
Williamsburgh, Mass. one mile south of the house of public 
worship, by the way side, in July last. As I was walking in the 
toad at noon-day, my attention was drawn to the fence by 
the fluttering and hopping of a robin red-breast, and of a 
cat-bird, which upon my approach flew up, and perched on 
a sapling two or three rods distant ; at this instant a large 
black snake reared his head from the ground near the fence. 
I immediately stepped back a little, and sat down upon an 
eminence ; the snake in a few moments slunk again to thé 
earth, with a calm placid appearance, and the birds soon af- 
ter returned and lighted upon the ground near the snake : 
first stretching their wings upon the ground, and spreading 
their tails, they commenced fluttering around the snake, 
drawing nearer at almost every step, until they stepped near or 
across the snake, which would often move a little or throw him 
elfinto a different posture, apparently to seize his prey, 
which movements I noticed seemed to frighten the birds, and 
they would veer off a few feet, but return again as soon as the 
snake was motionless. All that was wanting for the snake 
to secure the victims seemed to be, that the birds should pass 
their charmer, and ii was not until an attempt was made to 
kill the snake that the birds would avail themselves of their 
wings and fly to a forest one hundred rods distant. 
-he. movements of the birds while around the snake seem- 
by be voluntary, and without the least constraint, nor did 
ideas at ah 
ks The Philadelphia Edition is not at hand.—Ep. 
