{m ) 
and then extend, or uncoil themfelves, but they both 
are done in a Moment’s Time. 
When a Rattlefnake refts, or lleeps, he is coiled, and 
they are obferved to be exceeding fleepy. 
Our People at firft took the Noife this Creature 
makes, to be owing to fome little Bones, or hard loofe 
Kernels lodged in their Tails ^ butfoon difcovered their 
Miftake, and found the Tail to be compos’d of Joints, 
that lap over one another, fomewhat like a Lobfter’s 
Tail *, and the ftriking them one upon another, forms 
that Noife, which is fo terrible to Man and Bead. The 
fierceft Noife is obferv’d to be in clear fair Weather, 
for when ’tis rainy, they make none at all ^ for which 
Reafon, the Indians don’t care to travel in the Woods, 
in a Time of Rain, for fear of being among thefe Snakes 
before they are aware. One other Circuraftance of their 
rattling has been obferv’d, to wit, that if a (ingle Snake 
be furprized and rattles, and there happen to be others 
near him, they all take the Alarm, and rattle in like 
manner. 
I dare not anfwer for the Truth of every Story I 
have heard, of their charming, or Power of Fafcination ^ 
but yet I am abundantly fatisfied from many WitrtelTes, 
both Englijh and Indian^ that a Rattlefnake will charm 
both Squirrels and Birds from a Tree into his Mouth. 
A Man of undoubted Probity fometime (ince told me, 
that as he was in the Woods, he obferv’d a Squirrel in 
great Diftrefs, dancing from one Bough to another, and 
making a lamentable Noife, till at lad he came down 
the Tree, and ran behind a Log : The Perfon going to 
fee what was become of him, fpied a great Snake, that 
had fwallow’d him. 
And I am the rather confirmed in this Relation, be- 
caufe my own Brother, being in the Woods, opened one 
of thefe Snakes, and found two drip’d Squirrels in 
A a a his 
