opular SBtcttonary of &mmatrtr Mature. 565 



large oval ones, all furnished with a pro- 

 minent line down the middle : the under 

 parts are of a dingy yellowish brown colour, 

 marked here and there with numerous dusky 

 variegations and freckles : at the extremity 

 of the tail is situated the rattle, consisting 

 of several hard, dry, bony processes. It con- 

 sists, in fact, of a number of hollow, hard, 

 dry, and semitransparent bones, nearly of 

 the same size and figure ; resembling in some 

 degree the shape of the human os sacrum ; 

 for although only the last or terminal one 

 seems to have a rigid epiphysis joined to it, 

 yet have every one of them the like ; so that 

 the tip of every uppermost bone runs within 

 two of the bones; below it ; by which they 

 have not only a movable coherence, but also 

 make a more multiplied sound : each bone 

 hitting against two others at the same time. 

 The rattle is placed with the broad part 

 perpendicular to the body, and not hori- 

 zontal ; and the first joint is fastened to the 

 last vertebra of the tail by means of a thick 

 muscle under it, as well as by the membranes 

 which unite it to the skin : all the remaining 



joints are so many extraneous bodies, as it 

 were, or perfectly unconnected to the tail by 

 any other means than theircurious insertions 

 into each other. These bony rings increase 

 in number with the age of the animal, and 

 it is said that it acquires an additional one 

 at each casting of the skin. 



The habits of the Rattlesnake are sluggish; 

 they move slowly, and only bite when pro- 

 voked, or for the purpose of killing their 

 prey. They have two kinds of teeth, viz. 

 the smaller, which are seated in each jaw, 

 and serve to catch and retain their food ; 

 and secondly, the fangs or poisonous teeth, 

 which kill the prey, and are placed without 

 the upper jaw. They feed principally upon 

 birds, squirrels, and other small animals, 



which it is believed they have the power 

 of fascinating. Whatever may be the nature 

 of this power, it is certain that its effects on 

 the little animals are irresistible. When 

 the piercing eye of the Rattlesnake is fixed 

 on them, terror and amazement render them 

 incapable of escaping ; and, while involun- 

 tarily keeping their eyes fixed on those of 

 the reptile, birds have been seen to drop into 

 its mouth, as if paralyzed, squirrels descend 

 from their trees, and leverets run into the 

 jaws of the expecting devourer. They love 

 to reside in woods and on lofty hills, espe- 

 cially where the strata is rocky or chalky. 

 Being slow of motion, they also frequent the 

 sides of rills, where frogs, &c. resort. They 

 are generally found during summer in pairs; 

 in winter collecting in multitudes, and re- 

 tiring under ground, beyond the reach of 

 frost. The Rattlesnake is viviparous, pro- 

 ducing its young (generally about twelve 

 in number) in the month of June ; and it is 

 said to practise the same extraordinary mode ! 

 of preserving them from danger which is I 

 attributed to the Viper in Europe, viz., of j 

 receiving them into its mouth, and retaining 1 

 them in its stomach till the danger is past, i 

 when they issue forth again uninjured. It is I 

 well known that in the Western States of j 

 North America, where Rattlesnakes are plen- j 

 tiful, the hogs kill and eat them i nor is their 

 bite formidable to their swinish enemy, on 

 whom its venomous fangs seem to produce 

 no effect. It is owing to this well-known 

 fact, that families resident in those districts 

 conceive that hog's lard must be a kind of 

 antidote to their poison, and frequently use 

 it, I believe, successfully, as a remedy 

 Murray. 



The STRIPED RATTLESNAKE (Crotalus du- 

 rissiis) may be distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding by the different disposition of its 

 colours, being of a deep brown above, with 

 pale yellow streaks, forming a continued 

 series of large rhombs or lozenges down the 

 back, the stripes growing less distinct as they 

 descend on the sides. The neck is marked 

 by a longitudinal streak on each side, and 

 the under parts of the body are of a dusky 

 yellowish brown, with numerous small dark 

 spots and patches. It is a native of the 

 same parts of America as the one already 

 described ; resembling it also in size and 

 general proportions, as well as in the fatal 

 of its bite. 



There is also the WOOD RATTLESNAKE 

 (Crotalus dn/MMs), which is of a paler colour 

 than either of those previously mentioned, 

 and more particularly distinguished by its 

 having a much longer rattle. And the 

 GROUND RATTLESNAKE (Crotalus miliarius), 

 a small species, inhabiting the Southern 

 and Western States of America. It has but 

 two or three rattles on the tail, and is much 

 dreaded, as its small size, and the slight 

 noise of its rattle, render it more liable to 

 be overlooked. 



RAVEN. (Corvus corox.) Of all the 

 corvine birds this is the largest European 

 species ; its general length being about two 

 feet two inches. The bill is strong and black, 



