104 THE SMALL, OR MILLARY RATTLESNAKE. 



strike a blow that would break a cobweb. In such cases, the victim may be taken 

 from the pursuer, but unless it is carried to a considerable distance, it will soon be in 

 the jaws of the Serpent a second time. 



It is worthy of notice that in all such instances, a sudden sound will seem to break 

 the spell and snap the invisible chain that binds the victim to its destroyer. If birds 

 are spell-bound by finger or chalk line, as has already been described, a quick move- 

 ment or a heavy footstep will release them from their bonds, and a sudden shout will 

 in a similar manner enable a bird to break away from the Serpent into whose jaws it 

 was on the point of falling. One of my friends when in Canada saw a little bird lying 

 on the ground, fluttering about as if dusting itself, but in a rather strange manner, and 

 on his nearer approach, a Snake glided from the spot, and the bird gathered its wings 

 together and flew away. The Snake was one of the harmless kind, and being taken 

 to the house of the person who had interrupted it in its meal, served to keep the 

 premises clear of rats and mice. The Serpent is not the only creature to which this 

 singular power is attributed for the natives of Northern Africa assert that the lion is 

 also gifted with this influence, and can induce certain hapless men and women to leave 

 their homes and follow him into the woods. This, however, is only a popular tradition 

 among the natives, and has met with no corroboration. 



The Rattlesnake retires to its winter quarters as soon as the increasing coldness of the 

 weather gives it warning to seek a home where it can find protection against the frosts. 

 Sometimes the Snake chooses a convenient hole or crevice for this purpose, but in general 

 it prefers the neighborhood of marshy ground, and harbors under the heavy masses of a 

 certain long-stemmed moss (spagnum palnstre) which grows plentifully in such situations. 

 In such localities the Rattlesnake may be found during the winter, either coiled up in 

 masses containing six or seven individuals, or creeping slowly about beneath the pro- 

 tecting moss. Many of these fearful Snakes are killed during the cold months by 

 persons who are acquainted with their habits, and surprise them in their winter quarters. 



The general color of the Rattlesnake is pale brown. A dark streak runs along the 

 temples from the back of the eye, and expands at the corner of the mouth into a large 

 spot. A series of irregular dark brown bands are drawn across the back, a number of 

 round spots of the same hue are scattered along the sides, upon the nape of the neck 

 and back of the head. 



ANOTHER species of Rattlesnake which is known by the same title, is also common 

 in North America. This is the CASCAVEL, or BANDED RATTLESNAKE (Crbtaliu hbrridus), 

 a reptile very similar in rattle and general habits to the preceding species, but dis- 

 tinguishable by the coloring of the body. Like the common Rattlesnake, the ground 

 color of the body is brown, but there is a broad dark streak on each side of the neck, 

 and the body is covered with oblique cross-bars which leave diamond-shaped spots. 



A THIRD species, the SMALL, or MILIARY RATTLESNAKE (Crotalbpliorus milidris), is 

 also well known in North America. 



This serpent is thought to be even more dangerous than either of the preceding 

 reptiles, because its dimensions are so small that a passenger is liable to disturb it 

 before he sees the deadly creature in his path, and the sound of the rattle is so feeble 

 that it is inaudible at the distance of two or three paces, and can only be heard when 

 special attention is paid to it. It is a prolific species, and still maintains its numbers, 

 in spite of the constant persecution to which it is subjected. 



The food of the Miliary Rattlesnake consists of mice, frogs, insects, and similar 

 creatures, which it mostly obtains by darting suddenly upon them as they pass near 

 the spot where the reptile is lying. This serpent is fond of coiling itself on the 

 fallen trunks of trees, decaying stumps, or similar situations. Fortunately, it is very 

 easily killed, a smart blow dealing instant death even from a very small stick. The 

 color of this reptile is brownish olive, darker upon the cheeks, which are diversified 

 by a narrow white streak from the back of the eye. A series of brown spots runs 

 along the centre of the back, and the sides are ornamented with two rows of brown spots, 

 each spot corresponding with a space in the other row. The abdomen is sooty black, 



