284 



ON SNAKES, 



revived a few years ago ; — was brought to this 

 country ; — was declared to be true ; — was printed, 

 and was believed by many of our learned fathers 

 in zoology. I protested vehemently against it, and 

 I pronounced it to be a barefaced Yankee-hoax. 

 But, my voice, was too feeble to be heard, or 

 not sufficiently important to engage attention. 



And now to the rattlesnake which I had received 

 from Mr. Vangordon. 



Whilst I was engaged on the head, my knife 

 slipped sideways, and instantaneously brought my 

 thumb in contact with one of the poison-fangs, 

 which entered deeply into the flesh, and caused the 

 blood to flow. It is almost needless to add, that 

 the wound healed, just as an ordinary wound 

 would have healed, without producing one single 

 unfavourable symptom. 



Some time after this, a few professional gentle- 

 men in Leeds, wishing to test the effects of the 

 wourali poison, with the venom of a rattlesnake, 

 arranged with Mr. Vangordon to exhibit his 

 imported serpents ; and an invitation was sent to 

 me, requesting that I would attend, and bring with 

 me some poisoned arrows. 



We all met at the house of our excellent phy- 

 sician Doctor Hobson, who had procured a few 

 Guinea pigs and rabbits for the occasion. 



