on another
branch, he beheld a large species of snake, that was lying with
outstretched neck, and fiery eyes, gazing steadily at the poor animal.
The agony of the bird was so great, that it was deprived of the power of
moving away; and when one of the party killed the snake, the shrike was
found dead upon the spot, and that entirely from fear; for on
examination it appeared not to have received the slightest wound. The
same traveller informs us, that a short time afterwards he observed a
small mouse, in similar agonising convulsions, about two yards distant
from a snake, whose eyes were intently fixed upon it; and on frightening
away the reptile, and taking up the mouse, it expired in his hand.[171]

In a record, by Mr D. T. Evans, of some experiments with Venomous
Serpents, made at the Zoological Gardens, mainly with a view to test the
efficacy of a reputed remedy for their bite,--_Simaba cedron_--and which
were pursued with the utmost philosophic care, we find the following
interesting particulars:--"The attitudes and movements of the serpent
intending to bite were very striking and beautiful. In the first place,
he made, with the posterior half of his body, a bold curve, having a
strong prehensile 'purchase' on the floor of the cage, so as to secure a
steady fulcrum for the rapid dart made at the time of the bite. The
upper half of the body was raised some ten inches or a foot, the neck
strongly arched, and the head, bent at nearly right angles with the
neck, was poised directly opposite the prey. In such position the
serpent remained a greater or lesser time (sometimes as long as twenty
minutes) according to circumstances. During this interval, the slightest
motion of the animal before him was followed by an instantaneous and
correspondent movement of the head and neck of the serpent. The purpose
seemed to be that of aim-taking, for the eyes were intently fixed upon
the prey; but I am by no means sure that the snake, knowing that the
latter cannot escape him, does not derive pleasure from this prolonged
and intent gaze. At all events, in one experiment, where the head of a
rattlesnake so engaged was sideways to the glass of the cage, and near
it, I observed, and called attention to the fact, a remarkable
vermicular motion along the course of the poison-gland to the opening of
the angle of the mouth, which we thought might afford him pleasure, and
this continued until the snake struck his prey.

"So far the Serpent