ASCRIBED TO THE RATTLE-SNAKE. JQI 



of Linnaeus, as they do of theboiquira, or rattle-fnake. Now 

 let it be fuppofed, for a minute, that the poifon of this latter 

 ferpent, when thrown into the body of a bird, a fquirrel, &c. 

 is capable of producing, in thefe animals, thofe piteous cries, 

 tiiofe {inguiar movements, thofe tremulous fears, which are 

 mentioned by Kalm, by de la Cepede, and by other writers, — 

 in what manner are we to account for the fimilar cries, move- 

 ments, and fears, in thofe birds which are frequently feen 

 under the fafcinating influence of the black-fnake ? For we 

 Americans all know, that the bite of the black-fnake is perfedly 

 innoxious. This, indeed, is alfo the cafe with the greater 

 number of the fpecies of ferpents that have, hitherto, been 

 difcovered in the extenfive country of the United Stales. 

 And yet almoft every fpefcles of ferpents is fuppofed to be 

 endued with the power of fafcinating fuch animals as it oc- 

 cafionally devours. 



Thefe fads, and this mode of reafoning, certainly involve, andconfcquently 

 in fome difficulty, Mr. de la C6pede, and thofe writers who „f po^ifonourCi- 

 efpoufe his opinion, which I have examined, under the firfl fluence is un- 

 head of my objedions. An attempt is made to account for °"" ^ * 

 the imaginary fafcinating faculty of the ferpent from the power- 

 ful influence of a fubtile poifon. But, upon inquiry, it is 

 found, that the power of bewitching different animals is not 

 an exclufive gift of thofe ferpents which niiture has provided 

 with envenomed fangs: it is a gift which as extenfively be- 

 longs to that more numerous tribe of our ferpents, whofe bite 

 is innocent, and whofe creeping motion is their only poifon *. 



Thefe 



* If there is any impropriety in this mode of exprefllon, the im- 

 propriety has its fource in my feelings, with refpeft to the ferpents. 

 Perhaps, no man experiences the force and the miferies of this pre- 

 judice in a greater degree than I do. It is the only prejudice which, 

 I think, I have not ftrength to fubdue. As the natural hiftory of 

 the Serpents is a very curious and interefting part of the fcience of 

 zoology } as the United-States afford an ample opportunity for the 

 farther improvement of the hiftory of thefe animals, and as I have, 

 for a long time, been anxious to devote a portion of my leifure 

 time to an inveftigation of their phyfiology, in particular, I cannot 

 but exceedingly regret my weaknefs and timidity, in this refpeft. 

 I had meditated a feries of experiments upon the refpiration, the 

 digeftion, and the generation of the ferpents of Pennfylvania. But, 

 1 want the fortitude which it is neceffary to poffefs in entering on 



the 



