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[ From the accounts lately collected, and given in the ‘Journal of the Linnean Society,’ by Airs. Barber, on the habits of the snakes of South Africa; and from the accounts published by several writers, for instance by Lawson, of the rattle-snake in North America,—it does not seem improbable that the terrific appearance of snakes and the sounds produced by them, may likewise serve in procuring prey, by paralysing, or as it is sometimes called fascinating, the smaller animals.]
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[ See the account by Dr. R. Brown, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 39. He says that as soon as a pig sees a snake it rushes upon it; and a snake makes off immediately on the appearance of a pig.]
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[ Dr. Günther remarks (‘Reptiles of British India,’ p. 340) on the destruction of cobras by the ichneumon or herpestes, and whilst the cobras are young by the jungle-fowl. It is well known that the peacock also eagerly kills snakes.]
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[ Prof. Cope enumerates a number of kinds in his ‘Method of Creation of Organic Types,’ read before the American Phil. Soc., December 15th, 1871, p. 20. Prof. Cope takes the same view as I do of the use of the gestures and sounds made by snakes. I briefly alluded to this subject in the last edition of my ‘Origin of Species.’ Since the passages in the text above have been printed, I have been pleased to find that Mr. Henderson (‘The American Naturalist,’ May, 1872, p. 260) also takes a similar view of the use of the rattle, namely “in preventing an attack from being made.”]
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[ Mr. des Vœux, in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 3.]