Si THE BANDED RATTLE-SNAKE. 



The Rattle-snake is known to devour several of 

 the smaller animals, and it has generally been be- 

 lieved that it is endowed with the power of fasci- 

 nating or charming its prey till they even run into 

 its jaws. Mr. Pennant, from Kalm, says that the 

 snake will frequently lie at the bottom of a tree 

 on which a squirrel is seated. He fixes his eyes 

 upon the little animal, and from that moment it 

 cannot escape : it begins a doletul outcry, which is 

 so well known that a person passing by, on hearing 

 it, immediately knows that a snake is present. The 

 squirrel runs up the tree a little way, comes down- 

 wards again, then goes up, and afterwards comes 

 still lower. The snake continues at the bottom of 

 the tree with his eyes fixed on the squirrel ; with 

 which his attention is so entirely taken up, that a 

 person accidentally approaching may make a consi- 

 derable noise without so much as the snake's turn- 

 ing about. The squirrel comes lower, and at last 

 leaps down to the snake, whose mouth is already 

 wide open for its reception. The poor little animal 

 then, with a piteous cry, runs into his jaws, and is 

 swallowed *. 



Some colour is given to this by M. Le Vaillant, 

 who says that he saw, on the branch of a tree, a 

 bird trembling as if in convulsions, and at the dis- 

 tance of about four feet, on another branch, a large 

 species of snake, that was lying with out-stretched 

 neck, and fiery eyes, gazing steadily at the poor 



Pent), Aict. Zool. ii. 338. 



