354 Mifcellama, Cut iofa. Vol. Ill . 



fay, another fort of deadly. Snake \ I never 

 faw any of them, unlefs once, fhortly after 

 my Arrival in that Country, which I cannot 

 atteft to be the Horn-Snake, for I could not 

 diftinftly view it, being in a Thicket of Sz/- 

 mach^ it was perchM up about two Foot high 

 in a Sumach Branch, its Tail twitted about 

 the Shrub, and about a quarter of a Yard 

 ftood bolt forward, leaning over the forked 

 branch thereof: I could not fee the Horn^ 

 which they fay it has in its front, wherewith 

 it ftrikes, and if it wounds, is as deadly as 

 the Rattle-Snake's bite. The Gentleman 

 that was with me, told me it was^a Horn- 

 Snake but being in haft, and on Horfe-back, 

 and the Snake in a Thicket, I could not fee 

 the Horn ; but had I thought I fhould never 

 have feen more of them, I fhould have took 

 a little pains to have been better fatisfied. 

 This I think may not improperly be referred 



to the Dart -Snakes. 



The BlackrSnake^ is the largeft I think of 

 all others, but I am fure the moft common ; 

 I have kiird feveral of them full fix Foot long, 

 their Bite is not deemed Mortal, but itfwells, 

 and turns to a Running Sore-, they feed upon 

 Lizards, Mice, Rats, Frogs, and Toads, 

 which I have taken out of their Bellies. I 

 was once a Simpling in the woods, on a fair 

 Sun-ftiine day, when I faw a Snake crawling 

 on a Tree that was fallen, and licking with 

 its forked Tongue as it moved ^ I ftood ftill 

 to obferve it, and faw it lick up fmall Infefts 

 and Flies with wonderful nimblenefs, catch- 

 ing them betwixt the Forks of its Tongue. 



The 



