RATTLE-SNAKE. <57l 



railed Pine.Log, where M. de Beauvois staid some lime with the 

 Indians, during an illness with which he was seized. M. de Beauvois 

 adds, that in winter the rattlesnake retires into deep mossy loose 

 soils beneath trees, &c. as well as in holes under ground. 



From experiments made in Carolina by Captain Hall, and related 

 in the Philosophical Transactions, it appears that a rattle-snake of 

 about four feet long, being fastened to a stake fixed in the ground, 

 bit three dogs, the first of which died in less than a quarter of a mi- 

 nute : the second, which was bitten a short time afterwards, in about 

 two hours, in convulsions ; and the third, which was bitten about 

 half an hour afterwards, shewed the visible effects of the poison in 

 about three hours, and died likewise. Four days after this, another 

 dog was bitten, which died in half a minute; and then another, 

 which died in four minutes. A cat which was bitten was found 

 dead the next day. Eight days after this a frog was bitten, which 

 died in two minutes, and a chicken of three months old in three 

 minutes. The experiments having been discontinued some time for 

 want of subjects, a common black snake was procured, which was 

 healthy and vigorous, and about three feet long. It was brought to 

 the rattlesnake, when they bit each olher, the black snake biting the 

 rattle-snake so as to make it bleed. They were then separated, and 

 in less than eight minutes the black snake died ; while the rattle, 

 snake, on the contrary, shewed no signs of indisposition, appearing 

 as well as before. Lastly, in order to try whether the rattle-snake 

 could poison itself, it was provoked to bite itself. The experi- 

 ment succeeded, and the animal expired in less than twelve mi. 

 nutes. 



According to experiments made by Mr. Vosmaer, at the Hague, 

 with a lively young rattlesnake, which he received from Surinam, 

 small birds, such as sparrows, greenfinches, &c. died sometimes in 

 four, sometimes in ten, and sometimes in twenty minutes after hav- 

 ing been bitten, and a mouse in a minute and a half. 



The anatomy of the rattlesnake is described, with much exact. 

 ness, by Dr. T^son, in the Philosophical Transactions. From this 

 it appears, that the teeth are of two sorts, viz. the smaller, which are 

 seated in each jaw, and serve for the catching and retaining of food ; 

 and, secondly, the fangs or poisonous teeth, which kill the prey, 

 and are placed without the upper jaw, and are all canini or appre- 

 Jiensores ; for since snakes do not chew or bruise their food, but 

 swallow it whole, they have no need of molars or grinders. 



