1^:2 RATTLE SNAltESt 



eiigaged in battle — at last one bit the otber, 

 which immediately retreated, and died in a few 

 minutes. It was supposed that it went off rapidi/ 

 for an antidote. 



To show the rapidity of tiie bite, and the mor- 

 tality of the venom, the following anecdotes were 

 related to me : A man in pursuance of a common 

 practice of killing snakes, took a rattle snake by 

 the tail from under a log, and snapped off its head 

 like the cracking of a whip ; he was bit in the 

 thumb, without knowing it, during this rapid ope- 

 ration, and died. Another one killed a rattle 

 snake, and cut off the head about five inches long, 

 and ordered a boy to bury it ; not obeying the 

 order fast enough, and being hurried in his work, 

 the man took hold of the head, which turned 

 round and bit him so that he died. 



The same serpent possesses very different de- 

 grees of power in its bite, according to time and 

 circumstances. This is beautifully intimated by 

 Virgil when speaking of a serpent common in 

 Italy in his time. 



" Est etiam ille malus Calabris in saltibus anguif> 

 Squammea convolvens sublato pectore terga, 

 Atque, notis longam maculosus grandibus alvum : 

 Qui, dum amnes ulli rumpunlur fontibus, et dum 

 Vere madent udo terrae, ac pluvialibus Austris, 

 Stagna colit ; ripisque habitans, hie piscibus atram 

 Jjnprobus ingluviemj ratiisque loquacibus explet, 



