THE RATTLE-SNAKE. 385 



some time unable to move for repletion, and may then 

 be without clanger approached and destroyed. Le- 

 guat assures us, that in Java, he saw one of these ser- 

 pents that was titty feet long. Carli mentions their 

 growing to the length of forty feet, and these accounts 

 are corroborated by~the concurrent testimony of tra- 

 vellers. 



THE RATTLE SNAKE 



is a native of the American continent. It is .some- 

 times found as thick as a man's leg, and more than 

 six feet in length. It resembles the viper in the 

 shape of its head and neck, as well as in its colors. 

 This dreadfully poisonous reptile, however, is chiefly 

 distinguished for the fatality of its bite and the rattle 

 in its' tail, "with which it makes a loud noise on the 

 least motion. 



This instrument appears to have been given it. by 

 the wise and gracious Providence of the author of na- 

 ture, for the purpose of warning other creatures of it* 

 approach, and thus giving them an opportunity < <f 

 avoiding the danger. In effect, no sooner does the 

 rattle begin its harsh and alarming sound, than all the 

 other tribes of animated nature testily their fear by a. 

 precipitate retreat; and the universal terror which 

 this dangerous serpent inspires, creates a solitude 

 around its haunts. This rattle is composed of several 

 ihin, hard, and hollow bones, linked together. It has 

 generally been supposed that the serpent acquires 

 every year an additional bone; and this opinion ap- 

 pears probable, from the circumstance of the youii 

 being wholly destitute of this appendage. 



For the bite of this animal various antidotes have 

 been recommended; bar -whether any of them can. be 

 depended on, appears somewhat doubtful, Some few 

 instances have occurred of persons who have recover- 

 ed, but whether this was owing to vigor of constitu- 

 tion, the slightness of the wound, the power of medica- 

 ments, or the combination of all these, in concurrence 

 perhaps with a variety of other adventitious circum- 

 stances, seems difficult to decide. It is certain that 

 cases of recovery are rare; for such -is the extreufc 



