144 The Natural Historg 



the venomous Bite of that Snake ; there are three sorts of it 

 to be found almost every where, this (as I said before) they 

 chew in their Mouths, swallow some part of the Juice, and 

 apply the rest to the Wound, which perfectly cures those 

 that are bit in a few moments. It is surprizing to observe 

 how these Snakes will allure and charm Squirrels, Hedge- 

 Conneys^ Partridges, and many other small Beasts and Birds 

 to them, which they quickly devour. The Sympathy is so 

 strong between these, that you shall see the Squirrel or Par- 

 tridge (after they have espied this Snake) leap or fly from 

 Bough to Bough, until at last they run or leap directly into 

 it's Mouth, not having power to avoid their Enemy, who never 

 stirs out of the Posture or Quoil until he obtains his Prey. 

 It is reported, they have a Rattle for every Year they are 

 old, which does not begin to grow until they are three Years 

 old, which I am apt to believe, for the young ones have 

 none, and I have seen and killed several of these Snakes, with 

 thirteen, and fifteen, and one with thirty Rattles. They 

 have several small Teeth, of which I cannot see they make 

 any Use, for they swallow every thing whole, but the Teeth 

 which poyson, are only four, two on each side of their upper 

 Jaws; these are bent like a Sickle and hang loose, as if by 

 a Joint. Towards the setting on of these, there is in each 

 Tooth a little Hole wherein you may just get in the point of 

 a small Needle ; here it is that the Poyson comes out (which 

 is as green as Grass) and follows the Wound made by the 

 point of the Teeth. Their Bite is not always of the same 

 force, but more or less venemous according to the Season of 

 the Year, for the hotter the Weather, the more poysonous thev 

 are, especially in June, JuJi/, nu<l August. In Winter they 

 never appear, but lie hid in some secret Places in the Earth, 

 as all tlie other Snakes do, not boiuir able to endure the cold 



Weather; 



