‘The Fascination of Snakes. 369 
they utter any distressing cries; or appear enraged, as I often 
have seen them when squirrels, hawks, and mischievous boys 
attempted to rob their nests or to catch their young ones ; 
but they seemed to be drawn by some allurement or entice- 
ment, (and not by any constraining or provoking power 3) 
indeed, I thoroughly searched all the fences and trees in the 
vicinity to find some nest or young birds, but could find 
none. 
What this fascinating power is, whether it be the look, or 
efiluvium, or the singing by the vibrations of the tail of the 
snake, or any thing else, I will not attempt to determine ; 
possibly this power may be owing to different causes in differ- 
ent kinds of snakes. But so far as the black snake is con- 
ed, it seems to be nothing more than an enticement or 
e 
allurement with which the snake is endowed to procure 
food : 
P. S. Since this case occurred, I have heard several res- 
* pectable people, who have also seen birds charmed, observe 
that they have heard music occasioned by the vibrations of 
tremely captivated with music—but whether this is the only 
means that the snake uses, or whether all kinds of snakes use 
it, 1 am not prepared to say. 
Inthe month of June, 1823, im company with a friend, I 
had just crossed the Hudson river, from the town of Catskill, 
and was proceeding in a carriage, by the river, along the 
road, which is here very narrow, with the water on one side 
and a steep bank covered with bushes on the other. Our at- 
¢ention was in this place arrested, by a number of 
“14d and partly erect from the ground, wi 
the ap e aan begten ote his eyes brilliant, = 
his tongue rapidly and incessantly brandished. Sees 24% e 
we perceived to be the cause and the _— : _ ne 
tions of the birds, which ceased, as soon - the gee pos a 
ed by the approach of the carriage, retire 4 = . es 3 
the birds, however, alighted — the neighboring branches z 
