ANIMAL KINGDOM. 99 



pointed out that it was a " Vidua" swallowing a Cascabel {Irigo- 

 nocephalus jararaca). Mr. Mitchell would not lose such an 

 occasion, and killed the adder, which had already swallowed lip 

 nearly twelve inches of its enemy. He passed a rope round to 

 keep them together, and brought them to town, where I saw 

 them thus tied. As far as I know, they were sent to the British 

 Museum, where, of course, they must have attracted attention. 

 This coluber is very determined, particularly the black kind, and 

 it has been known to give battle, and even chase, to man. When 

 a child, I was once pursued by a clibo, and I also distinctly 

 remember having witnessed one in combat with a gentleman, on 

 which occasion it would stand erect on its tail, and bite at the 

 garments, meanwhile hissing and inflating its neck : the clibo, 

 like the mapepire, also produces a rattling noise by the rapid 

 motion of its tail. The Macajuel [Boa constrictor), whenever 

 irritated, inflates its body, and then loudly emits a fetid and 

 sickening breath, which causes a sort of fainting sensation. 



Those who have had an opportunity of observing snakes 

 cannot but admit what has been said of their power of fascination. 

 Do they exercise that power under all circumstances ? This I do 

 not believe. Can this power be considered as a sort of magnetic 

 emanation from the serpent, which subdues the victim, and as 

 distinct from the indescribable terror with which it inspires the 

 smaller animals ? This again I very much doubt. Be it what 

 it may, that power of fascination is exercised both by venomous 

 and non-venomous serpents, and apparently through the instru- 

 mentality of the eye : for during the whole time that the victim 

 remains under the influence of the charm, the serpent's eyes are 

 intently fixed on the helpless creature, following all and each of 

 its movements. In relation to this subject I may, perhaps, 

 mention the following cases which were reported to me by trust- 

 worthy witnesses. Being struck by the distressing cries proceed- 

 ing from a bird on a tree, Mr. , on examination, perceived 



the poor little creature, leaping from branch to branch, in a state 

 of apparent agony, and uttering incessant plaints ; not far from 

 it was a clibo, following all the agitations of the victim by a slow 

 motion of the head, and with fixed and glistening eyes ; the bird 

 was so much fascinated, that from leap to leap, it came within 

 reach of the clibo, nearly into its jaw, and was swallowed ; on 

 another similar occasion, the charm was broken by striking the 



