HEFTILES 



389 



This is the creature which is said to grow in India 

 to the length of thirty feet and more, and to crushr 

 animals to death by twining around them ; though^ 

 in the United States it is not yet known to grow to 

 so large a size* 



The rattle-snake, it is known, never attacks a 

 man unless he has been touched or afFinghted. We 

 Itiay pass very near him without disturbing him, or 

 Mis shewing the least disposition to bite. The rat- 

 tles make no noise, as commonly supposed, when 

 tSie snake creeps : but when they are affrighted, they 

 Coil upon themselves, remain motionless, and ready 

 dart forward. Then only, they move with an 

 inconceivable velocity the rattles which advise us 

 6f their vicinity, and which they do not agitata 

 Unless in a state of anger and contraction incompa- 

 tible with the act of creeping. In time of danger, 

 the young snakes take refuge in the maw of the 

 old one. Mr. Beauvois saw five enter a snake iti 

 the Indian country, and come out again in a quarter 

 of an hour; on a second alarm from him they agaia 

 entered, and the old one fled into the grass. 



These animals abound near Morriss river in New 

 Jersey ; Mr. Beauvois found seventy-five of thenci 

 entwined with each other, in a hole from three to 

 four feet deep, and of about the same diameter* 

 They always chuse a winter residence near a stream 

 of water which never freezes, and on the side of 

 hills. In summer, they keep on dry ground. 



The mode pursued by the crotalus horridus, and 

 "black-snake in fighting, is curious. They entwine 

 their tails round a shrub, and both rising, they dart 

 • Tranf* Amer. PhU, Soc. tal iv. 



