SECTION VII. Siren. Siren lacertina.-LINN. Mud-Inguana.-ELLIS. THIS species stands eminently distinguished in the list of animals by the ambiguity of its characters, which are such as to have induced the great Linnæus to institute it for a new order of amphibia, under the title of meantes; an order, however, which does not stand among the rest of the amphibia in the Systema Naturæ, but is mentioned in a note at the end of the second part of the first volume of that work. The genus with which the siren has evidently the greatest possible affinity, is the lacerta, or lizard. It even very much resembles the larve, or first state of a lacerta; and it is still doubtful whether it may not really be such: yet it has never been observed in any other state, having two feet only, without any appearance of a hind pair: the feet are also furnished with claws, whereas the larves of all the lacertæ are observed to be without claws; or, in the Linnæan phrase, digitis muticis: the mouth has several rows of smallish teeth: the body is eel-shaped, but slightly flattened beneath; marked on the sides by several wrinkles, and slightly compressed towards the extremity of the tail, which is edged with a kind of soft skin, or adipose fin, as it were on each side the neck are three ramified branchial processes, resembling, on a larger scale, those belonging to the larves of water newts, and at the base are the openings into the gills; the eyes are very small, and blue. The general colour of the animal is a deep or blackish brown, scattered over, especially on the sides, with numerous minute whitish specks. Its size nearly equals that of an eel, being frequently found of the length of more than two feet. It is a native of North America, and more particularly of South Carolina, where it is not very uncommon in muddy and swampy places, living generally under water, but sometimes appearing on land. It has a kind of squeaking or singing voice, for which reason Linnæus distinguished it by the title of siren. * The characters of this order are thus given by Linnæus, viz. branchiæ and pulmones simul. Pedes brachiati, unguiculati. The generic character stands thus, viz. corpus bipedum, caudatum, nudum. Pedes brachiati, unguiculati. This curious animal was first discovered and described by the ingenious Dr. Garden, who resided many years in Carolina, and who paid particular attention to the science of Natural History, which he enriched by many highly interesting observations. Dr. Garden communicated specimens of the siren to Linnæus, with particulars relative to its history and manners. Linnæus, in his letter to Dr. Garden on this subject, declares, that nothing had ever exercised his thoughts so much, nor was there any thing he so much desired to know, as the real nature of so extraordinary an animal. The celebrated anatomist, Camper, seems to have deceived himself in a singular manner, in his examination of this extraordinary animal; asserting that it was destitute of lungs; and, in consesequence, considering it as breathing by gills alone, in the manner of fish, regarded it as a species of muræna siren. The opinion of Camper, however, is now allowed to be erroneous; and the siren is unquestionably most allied to the lizard tribe; though it still remains doubtful whether it should be considered as a larve, or as an animal in its perfect or ultimate form. The lightness with which the Count de Cepede passes over this interesting subject, cannot be observed without surprise; I have surveyed, says he, with attention the figure of this animal in the Philosophical Transactions, as well as its description by Mr. Ellis, and have not a moment's hesitation in pronouncing it to be merely the larve of a lacerta. "Nous avons examiné avec soin la figure et la description que M. Ellis en a données dans les Transactions Philosophiques; & nous n'avons pas douté un seul moment que cet animal, bien loin de constituer un ordre nouveau, ne fût une larve." How different this from the sober investigation and philosophical doubts of the great Linnæus, as well as from the patient enquiries of a Hunter and a Camper! The celebrated Amphibiologist, Schneider, after declaring his own opinion, that the siren is really no other than the larve of some undiscovered lizard, thus expresses his sentiments relative to the Count de Cepede's decision on the subject. "Factum igitur casu potius puto, ut suspicio Galli de Sirene lacertina Liunæi proposita, p. 611*, tam bene caderet, nec a scopo veritatis plane aberraret +.” * Histoire Naturelle des Quadrupedes ovipares. + Schneid. Amph. fasc. 1. 41. It remains to be added, that the siren, if thrown on the ground with any degree of violence, has been observed to break in two or three places; in this particular resembling the anguis frigalis, or slow-worm. It is also proper to observe, that no lizard of which it may be supposed the larve, has ever yet been discovered in those parts of Carolina where it is most frequent. The species to which it seems most allied is the lacerta teguixin of Linnæus, which is a native of South America. [Shaw. Schneider. Camper. Ellis. SECTION VIII. Rattle-Snake Crotalus horridus.-LINN. THE genus crotalus, or rattle-snake, affords the most signal examples of the powerfully destructive poison with which some of the serpent tribe are furnished; instances having frequently occurred in which the bite of these snakes has proved fatal to mankind in the space of even a very few minutes. Till the discovery of the western hemisphere, the knowledge of these serpents was concealed from the rest of the world, and philosophers then first beheld, with amazement, a reptile of the most fatal nature, furnished, as if by a peculiar institution of providence, with an instrument capable, in general, of warning mankind of their danger in too near an approach. The different species of rattle-snakes seem to have been generally confounded with each other; and even Catesby, who travelled in those parts of North America where it is found, seems to have been unacquainted with one of the most remarkable species, and to have particularly described the banded rattle-snake only, which he has also figured with sufficient clearness to prevent its being confounded with any other kind, though not with that minute attention to all the particulars which the more improved state of Natural History at present demands. This species is found, in general, from three to four or five feet in length, and is of a yellowish brown colour, marked throughout its whole length, with several transverse and somewhat irregular fascia of deep brown; and from the head, to some distance down the neck, run two or three longitudinal stripes of the same colour; the head is large, flat, and covered with small scales; the rest of the upper parts with moderately large oval ones, all strongly carinated or furnished with a prominent line down the middle: the under parts are of a dingy yellowish brown colour, marked here and there with numerous dusky variegations and freckles: at the extremity of the tail is situated the rattle, consisting of several hard, dry, horny pro cesses, the peculiar structure of which will be more amply described hereafter, and which, on the least disturbance or irritation, is elevated and shaken in such a manner as to cause a strong or brisk rat. tling sound. "The largest rattle-snake," says Catesby, "which I ever saw, was about eight feet in length, and weighing between eight and nine pounds. This monster was sliding into the house of Colonel Blake, of Carolina, and had certainly taken up his abode there undisturbed, had not the domestic animals alarmed the family with their repeated outcries: the hogs, dogs, and poultry, united in their hatred to him, shewing the greatest consternation, by erecting their bristles and feathers, and expressing their wrath and indignation, surrounded him, but carefully kept their distance; while he, regard. less of their threats, glided slowly along." "It is not uncommon," adds Mr. Catesby, "to have them come into houses; a very extra. ordinary instance of which happened to myself in the same gentle. man's house, in the month of February, 1723; the servant in making the bed in a ground room, (but a few minutes after I left it) on turning down the sheets, discovered a rattle-snake coiled between the sheets in the middle of the bed." They are the most inactive and slow moving snake," adds this author, " of all others, and are never the aggressors, except in what they prey upon; for unless they are disturbed they will not bite, and when provoked they give warning by shaking their rattles. These are commonly believed to be the most deadly serpent of any in these parts of America. I believe they are so, as being generally the largest, and making a deeper wound, and injecting a greater quantity of poison. The most suc cessful remedy the Indians seem to have, is to suck the wound, which in a slight bite has sometimes a good effect; though the re * Hogs, however, are, in general, said to be so little afraid of the rattlesnake, that they prey on it occasionally with great eagerness; seizing it in such a manner as to prevent it from doing them any injury, and devouring it. covered person never fails of having annual pains* at the time they were bit. They have likewise some roots which they pretend will effect a cure, particularly a kind of asarum, commonly called heartsnake-root, a kind of chrysanthemum, called St. Anthony's cross, and some others: but that which they rely on the most, and which most of the Virginian and Carolina Indians carry dry in their pockets, is a small tuberous root, which they procure from the remote parts of the country. This they chew, and swallow the juice, applying some to the wound. Having, by travelling much with the Indians, had frequent opportunities of seeing the direful effects of the bites of these snakes, it always seemed and was apparent to me, that the good effect usually attributed to these their remedies, is owing more to the force of nature, or the slightness of the bite of a small snake in a muscular part, &c. The person thus bitten I have known to survive without assistance many hours; but where a rattle-snake, with full force penetrates his deadly fangs, and pricks a vein or an artery, inevitable death ensues, and that, as I have often seen, in less than two minutes. The Indians know their destiny the minute they are bit, and when they perceive it mortal, apply no re medy, concluding all efforts in vain: if the bite happeneth in a fleshy part, they immediately cut it, to stop the current of the poison. "The colour of the head of this rattle-snake is brown, the eye red, the upper part of the body of a brownish yellow, trausversely marked with irregular broad black lists. The rattle is usually of a brown colour, composed of several horny membraneous cells, of an undulated pyramidal figure, which are articulated one with another, so that the point of the first cell reaches as far as the basis or protuberant ring of the third, and so on; which articulation being very loose, gives liberty to the parts of the cells that are inclosed within the outward rings, to strike against the sides of them, and so to cause the rattling noise which is heard when the snake shakes its tail. "The charming, as it is commonly called, or attractive, power this snake is said to have, of drawing to it small animals, and devouring them, is generally believed in America; as for my own part I never saw the action, but a great many from whom I had it related, all agree in the manner of the process; which is, that the animals, * This may perhaps be considered as doubtful, or may depend on other cir cumstances than the bite of the rattle-snake. |