imbrications. It is a wholesome and pleasant food. Lobsters and crabs lie in wait for an opportunity of thrusting in a leg or a claw, when the Cockle is open, in order to prey on the included animal; but it often happens that the younger ones of those crustaceous animals, not being sufficiently hardened or matured to withstand the violent snapping of the shells of the larger species on their close, lose the limb; and herein we see the abundant wisdom and benignity of the Almighty, in having bestowed on the cancer tribe the power of renewing their members when cut off; and, but for which, the whole race would soon become extinct, since this mode of procuring their living subjects them to eternal warfare.

NATURAL HISTORY

OF

SERPENTS, REPTILES, ETC.

LINNEUS divides the Amphibia into two orders, SERPENTS and REPTILES. The Serpent tribe have neither fins, ears, nor feet, and their jaws are dilatable, and not articulated. The construction of their back bone enables them to advance with an elegant sinuous motion. It is composed of moveable articulations, and runs through the whole length of the body. Some of the species have the power of rendering their bodies perfectly stiff, which enables them to spring on their prey with great force and velocity. Most Serpents are covered with scales. The breast and abdomen are surrounded with ribs. Like quadrupeds they breathe through the mouth, by means of lungs. The head joins immediately to the body, and the jaws are so expansible that the animals can swallow prey which is thicker than themselves. The tongue is slender and

forked. They change their skin twice a year; the old skin parting near the head, and the creature creeping from it by an undulatory kind of movement. The colours of the Serpent are, in general, exceedingly varied and beautiful.

Of the whole number of Serpents the poisonous spécies constitute not more than one-sixth. They differ from the harmless kinds in having only two rows of true or proper teeth in the upper jaw, whilst the others have four; and in having long tubular fangs on each side of the head, the purpose of which is to convey the venom from a bag or receptacle at the base of these fangs into the wound made by their bite. A head wholly covered with small scales, and scales on the head and body furnished with a ridge or prominent middle line, are also signs, though more equivocal, than those first mentioned.

Reptiles have legs, and flat naked ears, devoid of auricles. Tortoises, Lizards, and Frogs are the principal tribes.

Of the Rattle Snake, which is bred both in North and South America, but in no part of the old world, the colour is yellowish brown above, marked with broad transverse bars of black. Both the jaws are furnished with small sharp teeth, and the upper one has four large incurvated and pointed fangs. At the base of each is a round orifice, opening into a hollow that appears again near the end of the tooth in the form of a small channel; these teeth may be raised or compressed. When the animals are in the act of biting, they force the fatal juice out of a gland near the roots of the teeth.This is received into the round orifice of the teeth, conveyed through the tube into the channel, and from thence with unerring direction into the wound. The tail is furnished with a rattle, consisting of joints loosely connected; which annually increase in number till they amount to about forty. The young Snakes, or those of a year or two old, have no rattle at all

As the tail of these Snakes, which are the most dreaded of all Serpents, keeps rattling upon the slight

VOL. II.

P

est motion, passengers are thus providentially warned of their approach to them. In fine weather the notice is always given, but not always in rainy weather; this inspires the Indians with a dread of travelling among the woods in wet seasons. In addition to this circumstance, the odour of the Rattle Snake is so extremely fœtid, that when it basks in the sun, or is irritated, it is often discovered by the scent before it is either seen or heard. Horses and cattle frequently discover it by the scent, and escape at a distance; but when the Serpent happens to be to leeward of their course, they sometimes encounter its venom. It must, however, be remarked, that the Snake is not the aggressor; it being perfectly inoffensive to mankind, except when provoked. In fact, it always tries to avoid the presence of man. Instances have even been known of its being tamed, and becoming exceedingly gentle and docile.

The usual motion of the Rattle Snake is with its head to the ground. When, however, it is alarmed, it coils its body into a circle, with its head erect, and its eyes flaming in a terrific manner. But it cannot pursue rapidly, and has no power of springing on its enemy.

Rattle Snakes are viviparous, producing their young, generally about twelve in number, in the month of June, and by September these acquire the length of twelve inches. It has been well attested that they adopt the same mode of preserving their young from danger as that attributed to the common viper, receiving them into their mouth and swallowing them. It is believed by some naturalists to have the power of fascinating its prey by gazing at it, so as to render it incapable of flight, but others are doubtful as to this being a fact. The probability seems to be, that the victim is prevented from escaping merely by the extreme terror which its formidable enemy inspires.