Serpents. RE PTILES. Viperlse Serpents. 
44 
tinguish tlie sound. Eattlesnakes are said by many of 
our earlier writers to e.xbale a nauseous and fetid odour, 
which spreads to a considerable distance around them. 
By many fond of marvellous tales, this is believed to be 
the secret of the fascinating power ascribed so commonly 
to this reptile. With regard to this attribute of serpents 
we have already made some general remarks at page 
38, to which we refer the reader. We will only further 
quote Mr. Holbrook’s opinion upon this power in the 
Kattlesnake : — “As to the fascinating or charming 
power of the Kattlesnake, I have every reason to 
believe it a fable ; a modification of that of the basilisk 
of the ancients, a creature whose deadly glance would 
alone prove fatal. The Rev. Dr. Buchanan, an excel- 
lent naturalist, also informs me, that he has more than 
once observed Rattlesnakes watching for hours at the 
root of large trees, on the branches of which sported 
some innocent squirrel, unconscious of the ‘charmer 
below ; ’ but woe betide him should he descend to the 
earth in search of water, or of fallen nuts or acorns. 
Tliere are even still more tales of the charming power 
of the Black snake than of the Rattlesnake, to whom it 
would be useless; for he is bold, lively, active, and 
climbs the loftiest trees in pursuit of his prey, wh le the 
Rattlesnake waits patiently below,” The food of the 
Rattlesnake consists of biids, squirrels, rabbits, rats, 
&c. ; and in addition to his so much vaunted fascinating 
power, he has been endowed by some writers with the 
gift of climbing trees with great dexterity. This, how- 
ever, does not seem to be the case, and as Mr. Hol- 
brook justly observes, his organization seems ill adapted 
for it. His body is thick and clumsy; the tail is short, 
and not apparently calculated for laying hold of objects; 
and the rattles too which terminate this organ would 
form an awkward appendage in climbing. On the con- 
trary, in those serpents which do climb trees with faci- 
lity the body is slender, the tail very long and delicate, 
and may with ease be used as a prehensile instrument. 
When full grown, the Rattlesnake is naturally of an 
indolent and sluggish nature. His movements are 
slow and inactive, and he lies quietly in wait for his 
prey, stretched on the ground in the form of an S, and 
never attacks man unless provoked or irritated. He 
seems to have somewhat of a magnanimous dispo- 
sition, and never wantonly destroys other animals, 
except as food for himself. A very slight touch, how- 
ever, or even a noise close at hand, will disturb his 
repose, and he then immediately coils himself up, 
shakes his rattles violently in sign of rage, and strikes 
at whatever is placed within his reach. In his native 
woods one may pass within a few feet of him unmo 
lested, though aware of the passenger’s presence. He 
either lies quiet, or glides away to a more retired spot. 
Mr. Holbrook says, “ He never follows the object of his 
rage, whether an animal that has unwarily approached 
so near as to touch him, or only a stick thrust at him 
to provoke his anger, but strikes on the spot, and pre- 
pares to repeat the blow; or he may slowly retreat like 
an unconquered enemy, sure of his strength, but not 
choosing further combat. It is remarkable that he 
never strikes unless coiled ; so that if once thrown 
from this position, he may be approached with less 
danger.” 
Though the natural habit of the Rattlesnake is that 
of indolence and sluggishness, his movements, when 
he is roused to bite, are extremely rapid ; and, contrary 
to the ordinary custom of most serpents, he is not con- 
tent with biting once, but bites again and again with 
astonishing celeritj'. Spix describes the motion of his 
head at such times to be like that of the woodpeckers 
tapping the trees in search of insects; and LacepMe 
informs ns that, in reference to this rapidity in striking 
his pre}', the Rattlesnake is called in Mexico Ecacoatl, 
or the Wind. In the colder parts of America, Eattle- 
snakes pass the winter in a lethargic state. They take 
up their abode in secluded spots, in holes in the ground 
along with toads, &c., or under masses of the sphagnum 
or bog moss, in marshy soils, and remain there till after 
the vernal equinox. During this time they appear to 
have no inclination to bite ; and even when they do, 
as long as the cold weather continues, their bite is not 
dangerous. In the summer months, however, and 
more especially in the month of August and in the 
beginning of September, their poison is very fatal. 
The slightest prick at such times, it is said, will suffice 
to kill the largest animal. The effects of the poison 
of this reptile upon man are very alarming. They 
depend, however, a good deal upon circumstances. It 
does not affect all individuals equally. For example, 
it is said — and experience seems to eonfirm the fact — it 
has less influence upon a fat than upon a thin person, 
less upon an Indian or negro than upon a white man, 
and more upon a stranger than a native. It is less 
dangerous, also, according as it has wounded only 
fleshy parts ; whilst it is almost sure to be fatal if the 
fang has punctured the smallest bloodvessel, especially 
if it be on the upper part of the body. Many remedies 
have been employed against the direful effects of such 
poison, but up to the present time few are known that 
possess any efficacy. Rattlesnakes, as has been already 
mentioned, are viviparous, and they have, most pro- 
bably unjustly, been accused of eating their young. 
M. Palisot de Beauvois, and most naturalists who have 
observed them in their native haunts, deny this ; and 
this last-mentioned traveller accounts for the asserlion 
so boldly made by some writers, by stating as a fact 
that they, in times of danger, receive their young into 
their mouth and throat as a place of refuge. In the 
first journey made by this naturalist in the country of 
the native Tcharlokee he saw a Rattlesnake in his 
path, and approached it as softly as possible. At the 
moment when he was about to strike it, the animal 
shook its rattles, opened its throat wide, and received 
into it five little ones, each about as thick as a goose 
quill. At the end of ten minutes, however, during 
which he had watched the reptile’s motions, believing 
itself out of danger, he observed it open its mouth 
again, and let the young ones out, receiving them into 
it afresh at the appearance of a new danger. These 
reptiles have many foes, but their chief foe is the com- 
mon hog, which devours them in great numbers in 
places where they may happen to abound. Other 
serpents, too, larger than themselves, destroy them ; 
and man, with his progress of civilization, is now 
sweeping them before him. In former times, and to 
a certain extent in some places still, the Indians never 
