IV. Ayi Account of the (^ttlefnake, . , (By the Ho-> 
nourahle Paul Dudley/ ^^3 F.B^S* , ■ v 
T he Rattlefnake is reckoned by xhe Al^-orr^ines, 
to be the moft terrible of all Snakes, and the 
Mailer of the Serpent-kind 3 that which caufes their 
Terror, without doubt, is their mortal Venom, and the 
Enfign of it is their Rattle 3 and it is moll certain, that 
both Men and Bealls are more afraid of them, than of 
other Snakes 3 and while the common Snake avoids a 
Man, this will never turn out of the Way. 
There are three Sorts, or Kinds, of this Snake, and 
dillinguilhed by their Colour, viz, a yellowilh Green, 
a deep Alh Colour, and a black Sattin. 
The Eye of this Creature has fomething fo lingular 
and terrible, that there is no looking lledfallly on him 3 
one is apt, almoll, to think they are polfell by fome 
Demon. 
A Rattlefnake creeps with his Head clofe to the 
Ground, and is very flow in moving, fo that a Man 
may eafily get out of his Way: This ought to be re- 
marked as an Inllance of the Goodnefs of God, who 
preferves Man and Beall. His leaping and jumping to 
do Mifchief, is no more than extending, or uncoiling 
himfelf 3 for they don’t remove their whole Body, 
as other Creatures do, when they leap 3 fo that a Man 
is in no Danger of them, if his Dillance be more than 
their Length 3 neither can they do any Harm when 
they are in their ordinary Motion, until they firll coil 
and 
