[Illustration: Baltimore Oriel defending her nest from the Black
Snake.]
There is a very general opinion, which has been adopted even by some
eminent naturalists, that several species of serpents possess the power
of fascinating birds and small quadrupeds, by fixing their eyes upon the
animal, so that the poor victim is unable to escape from his formidable
enemy. Dr. Barton, of Philadelphia, published, in 1796, a ‘Memoir
concerning the fascinating faculty which has been ascribed to the
Rattle-snake, and other American Serpents,’ in which he maintains that
this supposed power of fascination does not exist, and offers some
ingenious explanations of the origin of what he considers a popular
mistake. Our readers will, we think, be interested by an extract or two
from this work:--
“In conducting my inquiries into this curious subject I endeavoured to
ascertain the two following points, viz. first, what species of birds
are most frequently observed to be enchanted by the serpents? and,
secondly, at what season of the year has any particular species been the
most commonly under this wonderful influence? I supposed this would
furnish me with a clue to a right explanation of the whole mystery.
“Birds have an almost uniform and determinate method of binding their
nests, whether we consider the form of the nest, its materials, or the
place in which it is fixed. Those birds which build their nests upon the
ground, on the lower branches of trees, and on low bushes (especially on
the sides of rivers, creeks, &c. that are frequented by different kinds
of serpents,) have most frequently been observed to be under the
enchanting faculty of the rattle-snake, &c. Indeed, the bewitching
spirit of these serpents seems to be almost entirely limited to these
kinds of birds. Hence we so frequently hear tales of the fascination of
our cat-bird, which builds its nest in the low bushes, on the sides of
creeks, and other waters, the most usual haunts of the black snake and
other serpents. Hence, too, upon opening the stomachs of some of our
serpents, if we often find that they contain birds, it is almost
entirely those birds which build in the manner I have just mentioned.
“The rattle-snake seldom, if ever, climbs up a tree. He is frequently,
however, found about their roots, especially in wet situations. It is
said that it is often seen, curled round a tree, darting terrible
glances at a squirrel, which after some time is so much influenced by
these glances, or by some subtile emanation from the body of the
serpent, that the poor animal falls into the jaws of its enemy. Is the
animal’s fear and distress a matter of any wonder? Nature has taught
different animals what animals are their enemies; and as the
rattle-snake occasionally devours birds and squirrels, to these animals
he must necessarily be an object of fear. Sometimes the squirrel drives
away the serpent, but occasionally approaching too near his enemy, he is
bitten or immediately devoured. These hostilities, however, are not
common.
“In almost every instance I have found that the supposed fascinating
faculty of the serpent was exerted upon the birds at the particular
season of their laying their eggs, or of their hatching, or of their
rearing their young, still tender and defenceless. I now began to
suspect, that the cries and fears of birds supposed to be fascinated
originated in an endeavour to protect their nest or young. My inquiries
have convinced me that this is the case.
“I have already observed, that the rattle-snake does not climb up trees;
but the black snake and some other species of the coluber do. When
impelled by hunger and incapable of satisfying it by the capture of
animals on the ground, they begin to glide up trees or bushes upon which
a bird has its nest. The bird is not ignorant of the serpent’s object.
She leaves her nest, whether it contains eggs or young ones, and
endeavours to oppose the reptile’s progress. In doing this, she is
actuated by the strength of her instinctive attachment to her eggs, or
of affection to her young. Her cry is melancholy, her motions are
tremulous. She exposes herself to the most imminent danger. Sometimes
she approaches so near the reptile that he seizes her as his prey. But
this is far from being universally the case. Often she compels the
serpent to leave the tree, and then returns to her nest.
“It is a well-known fact, that among some species of birds, the female,
at a certain period, is accustomed to compel the young ones to leave the
nest; that is, when the young have acquired so much strength that they
are no longer entitled to _all_ her care. But they still claim some of
her care. Their flights are awkward, and soon broken by fatigue: they
fall to the ground, when they are frequently exposed to the attacks of
the serpent, which attempts to devour them. In this situation of
affairs, the mother will place herself upon a branch of a tree, or bush,
in the vicinity of the serpent. She will dart upon the serpent, in order
to prevent the destruction of her young; but fear, the instinct of
self-preservation, will compel her to retire. She leaves the serpent,
however, but for a short time, and then returns again. Oftentimes she
prevents the destruction of her young, attacking the snake with her
wing, her beak, or her claws. Should the reptile succeed in capturing
the young, the mother is exposed to less danger. For, whilst engaged in
swallowing them, he has neither inclination nor power to seize upon the
old one. But the appetite of the serpent tribe is great: the capacity of
their stomachs is not less so. The danger of the mother is at hand when
the young are devoured: the snake seizes upon her; and this is the
catastrophe which crowns the tale of fascination!
“Some years since, Mr. Rittenhouse, an accurate observer, was induced to
suppose, from the peculiar melancholy cry of a _red-winged maize-thief_,
that a snake was at no great distance from it, and that the bird was in
distress. He threw a stone at the place from which the cry proceeded,
which had the effect of driving the bird away. The poor animal, however,
immediately returned to the same spot. Mr. Rittenhouse now went to the
place where the bird alighted, and, to his great astonishment, he found
it perched upon the back of a large black snake, which it was pecking
with its beak. At this very time the serpent was in the act of
swallowing a young bird, and from the enlarged size of the reptile’s
belly it was evident that it had already swallowed two or three other
young birds. After the snake was killed the old bird flew away. Mr. R.
says, that the cry and actions of this bird had been precisely similar
to those of a bird which is said to be under the influence of a serpent.
The maize-thief builds its nest in low bushes, the bottoms of which are
the usual haunts of the black snake. The reptile found no difficulty in
gliding up to the nest, from which most probably, in the absence of the
mother, it had taken the young ones; or it had seized the young ones
after they had been forced from the nest by the mother. In either case
the mother had come to prevent them from being devoured.”
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