168 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
writer to express an opinion, we would agree with those who 
compare the odor to a wet dog. Like his wailing cry when 
calling to his mate, it is all but impossible to describe, or in 
the case of their mating call, to imitate. 
To the effect of the rattler’s odor must be added that of his 
rattles, which brings influence to bear upon still another of the 
senses. This sound excites the curiosity of the rabbit, squirrel, 
bird, or other small animal and brings it within range of the 
snake’s hypnotic spell. 
The scientific world will surely discredit the statement, yet 
there is sufficient evidence to show that the rattlesnake hypno¬ 
tizes its prey so completely that it is within his absolute control. 
The author of this little volume deliberately concluded the 
investigation of this subject in the field before attempting to 
look into the recorded observations of others. As already 
stated, such procedure was deliberate—that we might see for 
ourselves how nearly our own observations, and the observa¬ 
tions of a multitude of lay observers we know, coincided with 
the recorded observations of those who have gone before. 
Many of the volumes perused while in quest of the truth were 
found to be yellow with age, as well as being covered with the 
accumulated dust of decades. That the reader may arrive at a 
fair and impartial conclusion, we quote below from the pens of 
others: 
From John B. Newton, author of “Fascination, or the 
Philosophy of Charming,’’ published in 1888, we quote: 
“A gentleman himself told me that while traveling one day, 
by the side of a creek, he saw a ground-squirrel running to and 
fro between the creek and a great tree a few yards distant. 
The squirrel’s hair looked very rough, which showed that he 
was much frightened; and his return being shorter and shorter, 
my friend stood to observe the cause, and soon discovered the 
head and neck of a rattlesnake pointing directly at the squirrel 
through a hole of the great tree, which was hollow. The 
squirrel at length gave over running, and laid himself quietly 
down, with his head close to the snake’s. The snake then 
opened his mouth wide and took in the squirrel’s head, when 
a cut of the whip across his neck caused him to draw in his 
