New jerfey, Raccoon. 205 



fore k has received a good ftroke. I have 

 been afliired by feveral, that when it over- 

 takes a perfon, who has tried to efcape it, 

 and who has not courage enough to oppofe 

 it, it winds round his feet, fo as to make 

 him fall down ; it then bites him feveral 

 times in the leg, or whatever part it can 

 get hold of, and goes off again. I (hall 

 mention two circumftances, which confirm 

 what I have faid. During my flay in New 

 Torky Dr. Colden told me, that in the fpring, 

 1748, he had feveral workmen at his coun- 

 try feat, and among them one lately arrived 

 from Europe, who of courfe knew very 

 little of the qualities of the Black Snake. 

 The other workmen feeing a great Black 

 Snake copulating with its female, engaged 

 the new comer to go and kill it, which he 

 intended to do with a little flick. But on 

 approaching the place where the fnakes lay, 

 they perceived him, and the male in great 

 wrath leaves his pleafure to purfue the 

 fellow with amafing fwiftnefs ; he little ex- 

 pected fuch courage in the fnake, and fling- 

 ing away his flick, began to run as fail as 

 he was able. The fnake purfued him, 

 overtook him, and twirling feveral times 

 round his feet, threw him down, and 

 frightened him almofl out of his fenfes; 

 he could not get rid of the fnake, till he 



took 



