214 The Massasauga and its Habits. [March 
tivation of the land interfered greatly with the breeding of these 
birds, and the prairie-hens were soon thinned out by the hunters, 
and thus the resources of the venomous snakes were greatly 
_ reduced, 
`The assertion that the sound of the rattle of the Massasauga 
is so feeble that it is scarcely audible is certainly incorrect. 
From experience I know that it can be heard at a distance of 
several feet. 
The purpose of the rattle of the Crotalide has exercised the 
ingenuity of many minds and called forth many conjectures. 
The old notion that it was intended as a means of preserving 
man from the bite of the snake does not meet the requirements 
of the case. The organs of animals and plants are designed for 
the benefit of their possessors, and not for the benefit of some 
other organism. The somewhat close resemblance of the whirr 
of the rattle to the song of some grasshoppers has suggested to 
some one the idea that it is produced in order to lure within 
reach of the snake some of the grasshopper-eating birds. This 
hypothesis seems to lack the necessary basis of observation. 
No one probably has yet heard hungry rattlesnakes in imprison- 
ment sounding the rattle in the vain hope of securing food. 
Nor is there any more evidence to prove that it is of use in 
bringing the sexes together. The anal scent-glands would seem. 
to be far more efficient for that purpose. The sexes once together, 
it is quite possible that their emotions may be expressed by the 
low humming of the rattle that has been observed. Mr. Darwin 
concluded that the crepitation produced by the organ is used to 
frighten away the many birds and beasts that are liable to attack 
the snake. The means adopted to produce this result ought, then, 
to be regarded as a signal failure, for no man, or hog, or deer, or 
ravenous bird, that had resolved to attack a serpent, would prob- 
ably be deterred therefrom by such impotent demonstrations. 
If the inspiration of fear were their purpose, we might expect the 
serpent to elevate itself like the cobra, or make other threatening 
movements, whereas the rattlesnake lies almost motionless in a 
coil, meanwhile sounding its rattle, a model of repose born of a 
consciousness of the possession of reserve power. 
_ The opinion that is generally held that the rattle is sounded 
ee en ni ae snake bas reason to fear 
ee get ¥2 ns 
