Fossil and Recent Shells, 339 



fore described. I now presented him the sugar maple. He lanced 

 in a moment, striking his head into a tuft of the leaves, " with all 

 the malice of the under fiends," and the next moment coiled and 

 lanced again, darting his whole length at each effort with the swift- 

 ness of an arrow. After repeating this several times, I again chang- 

 ed his fare, and presented him the white ash. He instantly doused 

 his peak, stretched himself out on bis back, and writhed his body in 

 the same manner as at the first application. It was then proposed 

 to try what effect might be produced upon his temper and courage by 

 a little flogging with the white ash. This was administered. But 

 instead of arousing him to resentment, it served only to increase his 

 troubles. As the flogging grew more severe, the snake frequently 

 stuck his head into the sand as far as he could thrust it, seeming de- 

 sirous to bore his way into the earth and rid himself of his unwel- 

 come visitors. 



Being now convinced that the experiment was a satisfactory one, and 

 fairly conducted on both sides, we deemed it ungenerous to take his 

 life after he had contributed so much to gratify our curiosity; and so 

 we took our leave of the rattle snake, with feelings as friendly at least 

 as those with which we commenced our acquaintance with him, and 

 left him to return at leisure to his den. 



Art. XVII. — On some new Fossil and Recent Shells of the United 

 States ; by T. A. Conrad. 



To the Editor of the American Journal of Science. 



Sir — As I have a considerable collection of tertiary fossils of the 

 United States, many of which appear to be new to science, perhaps 

 you may deem it useful to publish descriptions of some of them, 

 although unaccompanied with figures; which it is to be hoped the 

 increasing interest in geological researches will some day enable me 

 to furnish. I shall here describe only a portion of those species 

 which I believe to be nondescript, but they will suflice to convince 

 the naturalist that interesting and perfect fossils are scattered as pro- 

 fusely in America as in any part of the world. Scarce a rivulet, or 

 the bank of a river, in the eastern portion of the Southern States, is 

 without some trace of organic remains ; and persons residing in the 

 neighborhood of such places would confer a favor on the members 

 of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, if they would 

 forward specimens to that Institution. Yours, &;c. T. A. C. 



Philadelphia, December 5, 1832. 



