168 Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 



day, he appeared sick, and languid, and was unwilling 

 to move. This was observed by the people of the 

 house, though they knew nothing oi* the experiment. 



Through the whole of Sunday the 13th, he still 

 laboured under the influence of the poison : but on 

 Monday, was as well as ever, though no means were 

 used to relieve him. — Similar cases, in other animals, 

 and even in the human system, have, doubtless, given 

 rise, in some degree, to the high reputation which 

 certain vegetables, &.C., have acquired as specifics for 

 the bite of the rattle-snake, and other serpents. 



Editor's ( MS. J Ana tomy and Physi- 

 ology of the Rattle-Snake, and other 

 North- American Serpents. 



41. August 27th, 1801. A large full-grown male 

 rabbit was put into a cage, which contained a large 

 and vigorous rattle-snake. But although he was kept 

 here, for a considerable time, the snake never at- 

 tempted to bite him. It seemed very evident, from 

 his actions, that he was afraid of the rabbit ; which 

 did not seem, in the least, afraid of him. On the 

 contrary, frequently, white the snake was very near 

 to him, he ate, unconcernedly, of the dried grass, in 

 the box. At length, finding that the snake would 

 not bite him, though he was often irritated with a 

 stick, with a view to provoke him to do so, I put the 

 rabbit into another partition of the cage, which con- 

 tained a smaller rattle-snake. This immediately bit 



