ASCRIBED TO THE RATTLE-SNAKE. 1()3 



I do not intend to take up much time in examining the fore- 

 going explanation. I (hall offer my objedions to it, in as 

 concife a manner as I can. 



Firft. The faculty of fafcinating is by no means pecu- Examination of 

 liar to the rattle-fnake, but is attributed as extenfively to thcj, Blumcnbach, 

 black-fnake, and other ferpents, which are not furniflied with which are con- 

 the crepitaculum, or fet of bells *, by which this ferpent is**^ * 

 fuppofed to be enabled to ring for its prey, when it wants it. 



Secondly. Some perfons, who have feen the rattle-fnake 

 in the fuppofed acl of charming, afTure me that the reptile did 

 not fhake its rattles, but kept them fiill. It is true, that 

 Mr. Vofmaer's rattle-fnake, already mentioned, continually 

 (hook its rattles. 



Thirdly. With regard to the praftice of the young favages, Fafts andob- 

 fpoken of by Mr. Blumenbach, I know nothing. I have '"- f^edinTthe' 

 quired of Indians, and of perfons who have refided for a powsr of fafcl- 

 confiderable time, among the Indians, and they appear to be "^^'"" ^^"'''^'^ 

 as ignorant of the circumftance as I am myfelf. I am in- 

 clined to think that Mr. Blumenbach has been impofed upon: 

 or, perhaps, the following circumdance may have given rife 

 to the ftory. The young Indians put arrows, acrofs, in their 

 mouths, and by the quivering motion of their lips upon the 

 arrows, imitate the noife of young birds, thus bringing the 

 old ones fo near to them, that they can be readily fliot at. In 

 like manner, the Lanius Excubitor, or great (hrike, hiding 

 it(elf in a thicket, and imitating the cry of a young bird, often 

 fucceeds in feizing the old ones, which have been folicited, 

 by the counterfeited noife, to the a(riftance of th^ir young. 



Ever fince I have been accuftomed to contemplate the 

 objedls of nature with a degree of minute attention, I have 

 confidered the whole ftory of the enchanting faculty of the 

 rattle-fnake, and of other ferpents, as dettitute of a folid 

 foundation. I have attentively liftened to many ftories, which 

 have been related to me as proofs of the doflrine, by men 

 whofe veracity I could not fufped. But there is a ftubborn 

 incredulity often attached to certain minds. In me it was 

 flrong. The mere force of argument never compelled me to 

 believe. I always fufpeded, that there was fome deficiency 

 in the extent of obfervation, and the refult of not a little 

 attention to the fubjed has taught me, that there is but one 



* Serpent a fonnette is the French name for the rattle-fnake. 



wonder 



