Miscellaneous Facts and Obser'oations. 165 



13. " Almost all amphibious animals (says Professor 

 Fabricius), the tortoise excepted, live by preying upon 

 other animals. But being destitute of strength and 

 swiftness, Nature has given, at least to some of them 

 (according to the testimony of many and creditable 

 writers), the peculiar faculty of forcing other animals to 

 throw themselves into their open jaws. Kalm, the 

 Swede, and the American Smith Barton, assert of the 

 American serpents, that if they fix their fiery, glaring 

 eyes upon any animal, such as a squirrel, or a bird, 

 within a certain distance, they entirely lose the power 

 of escaping, but throw themselves, slowly, irresistably, 

 into the extended jaws of the snake. And if any thing 

 disturbs the snake, so that it withdraws its eyes but for 

 one moment, they escape with the utmost precipitation. 



" We observe (continues this learned naturalist) 

 something similar to this in our common, tardy, thick, 

 and fat toads, which frequently sit under little stones 

 and bushes, having their mouths wide open, into which 

 flies, bees, and other insects, are drawn in the same 

 manner. All the theories that have hitherto been of. 

 fered to explain these appearances appear to mc both 

 unnatural and improbable. Indeed, I cannot but doubt 

 the reality of the fact itself, until we shall receive fur- 

 ther observations and discoveries relative to it." 



JoH. Christ. Fabricii, Is'c. 

 Result ate Natur- Historischer VorlesungeUy 

 p, 267, 268. Kiel: 1804. 



