GENERAL AVERSION TO SNAKES. 307 



fending itself, or of avoiding the assault. The 

 common snake of this country is a very harmless, 

 unobtrusive creature ; so timid, as to avoid the 

 presence of man whenever he appears, hiding itself 

 as much as possible in bushes and rugged places 

 from his sight. At r times a strong fetor proceeds 

 from it ; but this appears to be sexual, or made 

 use of as the means of annoying [its enemies. It 

 possesses no power to commit injury , and has appa- 

 rently no inclination to molest any thing beyond 

 its requirements for food, as frogs and mice. When 

 a young man, I have repeatedly handled it with 

 impunity; and though often bitten, a temporary 

 swelling, with slight inflammation, was the only 

 result ; but in these experiments the viper must not 

 be mistaken for the common snake. Yet this poor 

 creature, under the curse of ignorance and cruelty, 

 never escapes unscathed from power and opportu- 

 nity. All the snake tribe, innocuous and pernicious, 

 seem to be viewed with horror and aversion by 

 mankind. This horror, from the knowledge of 

 their power of inflicting harm in countries where 

 such kinds are found, is natural, and often pre- 

 servative of life ; but the aversion generally felt, 

 and that shuddering occasionally noticed at the 

 sight of our harmless snake, is like a deep-rooted 

 principle. We imbibe in infancy, and long retain 

 in remembrance the impression of injuries from 

 the wiles of the serpent ; and the " enmity between 



