SERPENT FASCINATION. 



621 



named, attains still larger dimensions than the constrictor, as some are said to have 

 been found of a length of forty feet. It inhabits the large rivers, lakes, and marshy 

 grounds of tropical America, and passes most of its time in the water, now reposing 

 on a sand-bank, with only its head above the surface of the stream, now rapidly swim- 

 ming like an eel, or abandoning itself to the current of the river. Often, also, it suns 

 itself on the sandy margin of the stream, or patiently awaits its prey, stretched out 

 upon some rock or fallen tree. With sharp eye it observes all that swims in the 

 waters as well as all that flies over them, or all that comes to the banks to quench its 

 thirst ; neither fish nor aquatic bird is secure from the swiftness of its attack, and woe 

 to the capybara that comes within the grasp of its folds. Such is its voracity, that 

 Firmin found in the stomach of an Anaconda a large sloth, an Iguana nearly four 

 feet long, and a tolerably-sized Ant-bear, all three nearly in the same state as when 

 they were swallowed — a proof that their capture had taken place within a short time. 

 As is commonly the case with reptiles, the water-boa is very tenacious of life, and 

 though the head may be nearly severed from the trunk, the entrails taken out of the 

 body, and the skin detached, it will still move about for a considerable time. The 

 boas principally inhabit America, although some species are likewise met with in Asia. 

 But the more formidable pythons are confined to the hot regions of the Old World. 

 They are said to enlace even the tiger or the lion in their fatal embrace ; and to judge 

 by their size and strength, this assertion seems by no means improbable. 



The alleged power of fascination in snakes is now abandoned by most naturalists ; 

 and all the authenticated facts in relation to it seem to be capable of being otherwise 

 explained. Dr. Henderson, a very close American observer, relates* some incidents 

 bearing on this question. *' Some field hands, " he says, " while at work in the field, 

 killed a rattlesnake of such unusual size that they were induced to bring it to the 

 house that the family might see it. Its head was chopped off and left in the field. 

 The snake was laid under some shade trees, upon the branches of which a pair of 

 mocking birds had built their nest. The birds soon discovered the snake, and at 

 once sounded their notes of alarm and distress. They commenced approaching, and 

 finally came in immediate contact with the snake. In short, they exhibited all the 

 phenomena of the fascinated in perfection, except that they did not jump into the 

 snake's mouth, which, fortunately for them, was a mile distant. I have frequently 

 heard it asserted that the snake, after fascinating the bird, opens its mouth and the 

 bird jumps into it. To test the truth of this, I caught a black adder, and tying one 

 end of a piece of twine around his neck, I made the other end fast to some shrubbery 

 in which a pair of mocking-birds had made their nests. The snake was soon dis- 

 covered by the birds, and in a short time they were as much fascinated as birds ever 

 become. They approached the reptile with feathers reversed, uttering their notes of 

 alarm, and were a dozen times in contact with him. On the other hand, the snake 

 seemed only bent on escaping, and had neither time nor inclination to exert his famed 

 power of fascination. It was exerted, however, to its fullest extent, as far as the birds 

 were concerned. At length the snake, in his efforts to escape, brought his body so far 

 through the loop of twine around his neck that he was suffocated. This made no 

 difference, and the birds continued to be as much fascinated after as before his death. 

 They were several times driven away, but would as often return. In these instances 

 * Harper's Magazine, April, 1856. 



