FASCINATION is the name given to an influence which certain animals are supposed to possess over other animals, which serve them for food. This faculty has been ascribed to toads, hawks, cats, owls, tigers, and various other animals, but particularly to the rattlesnake and other American serpents. It is supposed by some na turalists, as Kahn, that the small birds, squirrels, &c. which have been seen to fall from the branches of trees into the mouth of the rattlesnake, must have been previously bitten by the snake ; and being thus debilitated, were unable ei ther to escape or to remain upon the tree. Others, as La Cepede, suppose that the rattlesnake produces the effect by a stupifying vapour emitted from its body ; while others, as Linnxus and Blumenbach, ascribe the effect solely to the terror inspired by the rattle which is supposed to re side in the tail of this animal. Dr Benjamin Smith Barton of Philadelphia, has drawn up two very interesting me moirs, the object of which is to prove that there is no solid foundation for the opinion that serpents are endued with the faculty of fascinating and charming other animals, and we think that he has succeeded, at least, in rendering this opinion very doubtful, if not in completely overturning it. Such of our readers as wish to prosecute the subject, are referred to the following works, where they will find ample information on the subject.
See Pliny, Hist. Xat. lib. viii. cap. 14. Linr,zus Systenza Nature, art. Crotalus Horridus. Professor Peter Kahn,
Travels into North America, vol. i. p. 317, 318; vol. ii. p. 207, 208, 209, 210, Eng. Transl. London, 1770-1. Balm, Memoirs of the Swedish Academy of Sciences for 1753. Ma ther, Phil. Trans. No. 339. Hans Sloane, Phil. Trans. 1734, vol. xxxviii. No. 433. p. 321. Dudley, Phil. Trans. 1723, vol. xxxii. No. 376. p. 292. La Cepede, Histoire Naturelle des Serpens, p. Paris, 1789. Pennant's Arctic Zoology, vol. ii. p. 338, London, 1792. Monthly Re view, vol. ii. App. p. 511. Blumenbach, Handbuefz der Naturgeschichte, p. 253. Gotting. 1791. Benjamin Smith Barton, American Transactions, vol. iv. This paper was published separately under the title of A Memoir concern ing the Fascinating Faculty which has been ascribed to the Rattlesnake, and other American Serpents, Philadelphia, 1798. Barton's Supplement to the above Memoir, Philadel phia, 1801. The preceding papers are published also in Nicholson's Journal, vol. vii. p. 270 ; vol. viii. p. 58. 100 ; vol. xiii. p. 300. Blumenbach's Reply to Dr Smith Barton, was published in Voigts Magazin fur der neuesten zustand der Naturkunde, Part I. 1798, and in Tilloch's Philosophi cal Magazine, vol. ii. p. 251. See also Ironside in the Phil. Mag. vol. xiv. p. 319 ; Gentleman's Magazine, t 765, p. 511; Toplis, .Phil. Magazine, vol. xix. p. 379 ; and Michaelis, Gottingen Magazine, January 1785. (j)