RATTLE SNAKEri. 177 



lections of snakes coiled together. They are 

 eagerly sought after for their oil and gall, which 

 are used in sprains and rheumatisms ; and for 

 their flesh, which has been applied in consump- 

 tions J and they are frequently destroyed by fires 

 made accidentally, or for clearing the woods, and 

 sometimes they bite with great fury at the flames. 

 Owing to these causes their numbers are much dimi- 

 nished, and they are only preserved from extirpation 

 by the fastnesses and deep recesses of the moun- 

 tains. 



During the late war, a detachment of the Ame- 

 rican army was encamped two miles north of Ni- 

 agara, at a place called Snake Hill, which was 

 greatly annoyed by rattle snakes. In order to 

 keep them off, the tents were surrounded by 

 boughs of the ash tree, which preventive, hereto- 

 fore considered certain, was found unavailing."*^ 

 Some were killed on the parade, and one morn- 

 ing a soldier shook two out of his. blanket. This 

 country is champaign, and there is no mountain 

 nearer than eight miles. ~ 



Is it true that rattle snakes are killed every 



* This notion may be traced back to Pliny, who asserts it in 

 his Natural History. The Americans have derived it from their 

 English ancestors, who believed in it, and perhaps it is now 

 generally accredited in England. It is hardly necessary to say 

 ^bat it is entirely unfounded. 



