178 RATTLE SNAKES. 



year on York-Island, about eight miles from the 

 city, near the great strata of geneiss ^ T am told 

 that some years ago a large one was found in a 

 populous street of that city ; and that it was sup- 

 posed to have been lost by its keeper ; — may it 

 not have emigrated from its den on the island ? 



As soon as the warmth of the season will per- 

 mit, this serpent evacuates his den, and travels at 

 his leisure about eight or ten miles from it, where 

 he continues until September, when he returns to 

 his winter quarters, most terrifically furious and 

 ferocious. He couples in August, and produces 

 next June. 



LETTER XLIl. 



Western Region, August , 1820. 

 My Dear Sir, 



When the rattle snake intends to bite, he coils 

 himself up like a cable, and then extending his 

 head, throws his whole body forward with rapidi- 

 ty and fury at the object he intends to strike. 

 Sometimes he makes a kind of singing noise, and 

 when he rattles he does not mean to wound. All 

 snakes are very irritable when in coition, and the 

 crotalus is very dangerous from this period to the 

 time of his hybernation. 



