RATTLE SNAKES. 



183 



Postquam exhausta palus, terrasque ardore dehiscunt, 

 Exsilit in siccum : et flammantia lumina torquens, 

 Saevit agris, asperque siti, atque xterritus aestu. 

 Ne mihi turn molles sub dio carpere somnos, 

 JNon dorso nemoris libeat jacuisse per her herbas ; 

 Cum positis novus exuviis nitidusque juventa 

 Volvitur ; aut catulos tectis, aut ova relinquens, 

 Arduus ad solem, et Unguis micat ore trisulcis." 



I am told that rattle snakes have been seen on 

 Long-Island, and at Snake Hill, near Newburgh. 

 There is a beautiful island called Diamond Island, 

 containing about an acre of land near the head of 

 Lake George, and it is said that it was formerly 

 so overrun by rattle snakes, that travellers ship- 

 wrecked there were forced to lodge one night in 

 the trees, and that the serpents were extirpated by 

 hogs brought there for the purpose. 



On the south side of a mountain west of this 

 lake, and at the head of it, there is a large den of 

 rattle snakes. At the village there lived a pro- 

 fessional rattle snake catcher, who had taken in 

 one season 1300, and who made a livelihood by 

 selling the oil and the flesh, and by vending living 

 ones for shows. He went out as usual, with a 

 large basket covered with a carpet, and was found 

 dead after an absence of some days. In carrying 

 the basket, it is supposed that the covering fell 

 off, and that one of his serpents bit him in the 

 side, as be he was much swollen, and there wtB 



