RATTLE SNAKE. 
seen approaching lower and lower towards the 
bottom brandies of the tree ; till, at last, as 
if vanquished by the potency of it's fears, it 
jumps from the tree diredlly into the throat 
of it's dreaded destroyer. 
In order to ascertain the authenticity of this 
wonderful quality, a mouse was put into a 
large iron cage where a Rattle Snake was 
kept, and the efFe6t carefully observed : the 
mouse remained motionless at one end of the 
cage ; while the Snake continued fixed at the 
other, with it's eyes glaring full on the timid 
animal, and it's jaws opened to the widest ex- 
tent. The mouse, for some little time, ap- 
peared eager to escape ; but every efFort served 
only to increase it's terrors, and to draw it still 
nearer the enemy ; till, after several inefFe6lual 
attempts to destroy the fascination, it was ob- 
served to run diredlly into the mouth of the 
Snake. 
To the above relations, the incredulous op- 
pose their apparent improbability ; and assert, 
that such a power ascribed to serpents is only 
a relic 
