į 
_ tioned, I was hunting in a piece of heavy hemlock timber about 
itasa large black snake (B. constrictor), and he was hold 
coil or two of his tail, while his head was several feet above 
straight as could be. It took but an instant for me to appt 
extraordinary behavior on the part of a species of snake with ¥ 
Was quite familiar. I was about to reach up and strike him 
386 The American Naturalist. 
ing in the path of the Carolina paroquet and wild pigeon, o 
a great measure to their inability to adapt their imperfect and | 
instinct to the sudden encroachment of civilized man. I once att 
a great fire which consumed a number of large warehouses and a gr 
quantity of lumber. The fire occurred in the dead of the night, lig 
ing up the surrounding vicinity brightly, and the heat was i 
While thus gazing at this spectacle I noticed dozens of tame doves a 
English sparrows, irresistibly drawn by the intense light, fly direc 
into the flames, and hundreds were consumed in less time than it tak 
to relate the observation. Similarly, « on July 7th, 1890, I noticed 
different species of beetles heedlessly plunging into the globe that 
rounds the light, and were destroyed. Mr. Romanes says (page 17 
that under the general heading of ‘“ Imperfection of Instinct” “ 
may include two very distinct classes of phenomena ; for instinc 
be imperfect because they have not yet been completely developed, 
they may appear to be imperfect because not completely answe: 
some change in those circumstances of life with reference to 
they have been fully developed.”” To which of the two pheno 
the above notes will belong requires but little reflection on the pat 
the reader.—Dr. JosrpH L. HANCOCK. 
An Instance of the Black Snake Attacking Meanie 
autumn of 1867 I was residing at Stamford, Conn., being at that 
about seventeen years of age. Apart from my college studies, 
entire time was given over to the subject of biology and the fo 
of collections of various animals. The country about Stam 
admirable ground for the collecting naturalist, and by the 
advantages were not neglected. One day, during the time above 
miles from the town, and upon passing under a tall tree my 
from its lower limb, immediately overhead. In an instant I 
of my outstretched arm and hand. His body was straight 
gum- zos when in a twinkling he let go his hold, and | 
