48 HABITS AND INSTINCTS OF ANIMALS. CHAP. II. 



he wished to escape, the head of the snake followed the 

 movement immediately, as if to arrest the little animal's 

 course. These movements continued four or five mi- 

 nutes ; hut my approach put an end to it. The snake 

 then hastily seized upon its prey, and glided away 

 with it into a neighbouring bush, where I in vain en- 

 deavoured to discover and destroy it. I think it may 

 he a question whether the poisonous breath of the rep- 

 tile might not really have had the effect of paralysing 

 the limbs of the mouse, rather than that its inability 

 to move proceeded either from the fixed eye of the 

 snake, or the apprehension of inevitable death." * 



(59.) BIRDS are in the possession of all the senses ; 

 but that of vision is of the first importance, both in the 

 discovery of their prey, the avoidance of their enemies, 

 and as the unerring guide of their migrations. It is, 

 therefore, singularly exquisite, particularly in the vul- 

 tures ; and these birds will soar to amazing heights, and 

 dart through the air with a rapidity which would con- 

 fuse, or altogether destroy, a vision less perfect than 

 their own. The owl is generally thought an exception 

 to the common rule, most of the species being unable 

 to sustain the glare of day, although amid the darkness 

 of night they can see far better than the rest ; but this 

 defect if defect it may be termed is compensated by 

 peculiar quickness of hearing, and, no doubt, of smell, 

 by both of which he is enabled to hunt by night, as 

 others do by day. All birds, indeed, possess these senses 

 in considerable perfection, and by the latter many are 

 enabled to scent their prey at vast distances, and to shun 

 some of the numerous dangers which surround them. 



(60.) The sense of touch is supposed, in the higher 

 classes, to be seated in the villous surface of the skin ; 

 but, in birds, it is probably confined to the feet and 

 bill. This is particularly apparent in rapacious birds, 

 which use their feet in seizing and retaining their 

 prey ; while in those such as ducks, snipes, and wood- 

 cocks which push their long bills into the mud, the 



* Lichtenstein's Travels, p. 221. 



