ON SNAKES. 



271 



saving the loss of motion. But, on viewing them, 

 after all has been done that can be done, we are 

 forced to exclaim with poor Margaret, in Mallet's 

 inimitable ballad, 



" That face, alas, no more is fair, 

 That lip no longer red ; 

 Dark are my eyes, now closed in death, 

 And every charm is fled." 



All snakes in gliding onwards, take a motion 

 from right to left, or vice versa, — but never up and 

 down, — the whole extent of the body being in 

 contact with the ground, saving the head which 

 is somewhat elevated. This is equally observable 

 both on land, and in water. Thus, when we see 

 a snake represented in an up and down attitude, 

 we know at once that the artist is to blame. 



The common and accepted notion, that snakes 

 can fascinate animals to their destruction, by a 

 dead set of the eye at them, is erroneous, and ought 

 to be exploded. Snakes, in fact, have no such 

 power. Choose what position you please, either 

 exactly in front of a serpent, or on either side 

 of it, and its eye will appear as though it were 

 looking directly at you. Take a clear view of 

 it, and you will see that it does not move. It 

 has been placed by nature under a scale, similar in 

 composition to the scales of the body ; and when 



