FASCINATION. 
263 
Mr, E. C. Buck, B.C.S., says in 6 Nature ’ (vol. viii.* 
p. 303 ):— 
I have witnessed exactly a similar plan pursued by a large 
number of Ganges crocodiles, which had been lying or swimming 
about all day in front of my tent, at the mouth of a small stream 
which led from some large inland lakes 'to the Ganges. Towards 
dusk, at the same moment every one of them left the bank on 
which they were lying, or the deep water in which they were 
swimming, and formed a line across the stream, which was 
about twenty yards wide. They had to form a double line, as 
there was not room for all in a single line. They then swam 
slowly up the shallow stream, driving the fish before them, and 
I saw two or three fish caught before they disappeared. 
An account of reptile psychology would be incomplete 
without some reference to the alleged facts of snakes 
charming other animals by 4 fascination,’ and being them- 
selves charmed by the arts of music, &c. The testimony 
on both subjects is conflicting, and especially with regard 
to the fascination of other animals by snakes. Thus : — 
Mr. Pennant says that this snake (rattle-snake) will fre- 
quently lie at the bottom of a tree on which a squirrel is seated 
He fixes his eyes on the animal, and from that moment it can- 
not escape ; it begins a doleful outcry, which is so well known 
that a passer-by, on hearing it, immediately knows that a snake 
is present. The squirrel runs up the tree a little way, comes 
down again, then goes up, and afterwards comes still lower. 
The snake continues at the bottom of the tree with its eyes 
fixed on the squirrel, and his attention is so entirely taken up, 
that a person accidentally approaching may make a considerable 
noise without so much as the snake turning about. The squirrel 
comes lower, and at last leaps down to the snake, whose mouth 
is already distended for its reception. Le Yaillant confirms 
this fascinating terror by a scene he witnessed. He saw on the 
branch of a tree a species of shrike, trembling as if in convul- 
sions, and at the distance of nearly four feet, on another branch, 
a large snake that was lying with outstretched neck and fiery 
eyes, gazing steadily at the poor animal. The agony of the bird 
was so great that it was deprived of the power of moving away ; 
and when one of the party killed the snake, it (i.e. the bird) was 
found dead upon the spot — and that entirely from fear; for, 
on examination, it appeared not to have received the slightest 
wound. The same traveller adds that a short time afterwards 
