with the cause of the uproar with which they are greeted, may frequently be seen, in the succeeding Spring, stealing to these frog-orchestras with guns well-loaded and ready-cocked, their hearts bounding at the idea of bringing to the earth a buffalo, bear, or wolf. When they arrive at the spot from which the sounds seemed to issue, and perceive no animals larger than vast frogs upon the ground, they direct their attention upwards and reluctantly relinquish all present ideas of a buffalo, for a shot at a wild turkey, a racoon, or an opossum. On discovering that neither birds nor beasts are to be found, they imagine that there must be a subterraneous cavern in the neighbourhood, in which such animals as lie torpid during the Winter, having just become roused from their lethargy, are busily debating some important points concerning their Summer excursions. Impressed with this idea, or with some other equally plausible and strange, they return to their wives, and, in communicating the history of their disappointment, forget not to include an authentic report of the cave which their own imaginations have created, under the misguiding influence and ventriloquistic deception of the noisy frogs.

The largest bull-frogs weigh about five pounds each, and are able to destroy a gosling of a month old: There is every variety of the frog-genus in Canada, from this size down to that of a wren's egg. Toads are also very numerous; and although

vulgar prejudice considers them as enemies to man, and capable of emitting some poisonous matter from their bodies, the communication of which would prove injurious to human health, they are perfectly harmless and inoffensive. Their general contour is not very pleasing; and perhaps that is partly the reason why they are killed, whenever they make their appearance.

The MUD TORTOISE, or Turtle, when full-grown, is about two feet in diameter. Its flesh is said to equal in flavour that of the West India Turtle. But as it is one of those delicacies which my palate is not so far refined as to appreciate, I leave the determination of its true taste and flavour to city Aldermen: The appearance of the flesh, when dressed, is quite sufficient to satisfy my appetite. These animals will live ten days after having their heads cut off. This I could scarcely believe, when I first arrived in the country; but I have, since had ocular demonstration of the fact. They lay their eggs in the sand to the number of fifty, which are round, and about the size of a large crab: The Canadians eat them, and consider them superior in quality to those of domestic fowls. A large turtle is capable of moving with a man upon its back; and some persons assert, that it is equal to the task of carrying two men, without manifesting the least symptom of being over-loaded.

In Lower Canada, there are now very, few SNAKES, but in the Upper Province there is a great variety.

The RATTLE-SNAKE, though not the largest, is certainly the most formidable of the serpent kind. The longest of them measure about five feet, and are as thick as a man's leg; but the general size is three feet and a half. The appearance of these reptiles is far more calculated to excite admiration, than to create alarm. They are said to possess such a power of fascination, as to be able at any time to arrest the attention of birds, frogs, squirrels, and other small animals, in a manner that completely deprives them of the power of motion, and compels them to stand in some degree rivetted to the spot, apparently admiring the brilliant eyes and many-coloured scales of their deadly foe. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the rattle-snake, or the splendour of his eyes. His rattle consists of several distinct crustaceous bags attached to the extremity of his tail. The number of these bags serves to ascertain the age of the reptile: The first bag becomes visible when the snake is three years old, and one is afterwards annually added. It is commonly believed, on your side of the Atlantic, that the Rattle-snake always gives warning, when about to attack either man or beast: But this is not the case. I have killed several myself, and have likewise seen not a few destroyed by other persons; and I am convinced, from experience and observation, that they very seldom rattle when attacked. Although they possess the power of inflicting almost instantaneous death, they seem unwilling to attack man, except in their

own defence. When one of them is about to bite either man or beast, his eyes sparkle like fire, his whole body becomes bloated with rage, and his head and neck alternately flatten, distend, and swell. His lips contract and expand, disclosing at intervals his frightful forked tongue, and those fatal receptacles of deadly poison with which he prepares to inflict the most cruel death. He seldom, however, succeeds in accomplishing his dreadful purpose; for if observed before he makes the last fatal spring or dart, he may be readily avoided and quickly dispatched. A single stroke of a stick not thicker than a cutting whip, is sufficient to disable him, though it is not easy wholly to deprive him of life. + The most effectual

+ Dr. Dwight says, "This reptile is clumsy, and avoided without difficulty."-In another part of these volumes I have shewn the curious acceptations given by the Americans, both in Canada and the United States, to several well-defined English words: CLUMSY, therefore, may in their strange vocabulary signify SLENDER. But if the term is to convey the common English signification, the Doctor might as truly affirm, "that the tusk of a Mammoth would make a most delicate tooth-pick," as "that this snake is a clumsy creature."

Nor can I comprehend Dr. Dwight's meaning, when he says, "The Rattle-snake has no motion, except that which is produced by coiling himself up, and then stretching himself out at full length." If he had said, "that when this reptile intends to bite man or beast, he coils himself up, and then springs from his coil," I could have readily subscribed to his assertion. But if the idea which he wishes to convey, be, that in its ordinary perambulations from place to place, the snake proceeds by alternately coiling up and stretching itself out,-the Doctor has certainly never beheld

method of destroying these envenomed creatures, is, to attack them at the mouths of their caves, in the Spring of the year, when they have not entirely recovered from the debilitating effects of their Winter confinement. At this season, they are found in a very feeble condition, basking in the sunshine at the entrance of their caves. Persons who come out purposely for their destruction, wear large boots which reach above the knee. They make a sudden rush among the reptiles, and frequently kill several hundreds before they have time to regain their retreats. The effluvia arising from their dead bodies, produces immediate sickness, and compels the assailants to make a speedy retreat from the scene of action.

W. H -, Esq., a gentleman who resides at Dundas, in the Gore District, when on a huntingparty of this nature a few years ago, received a bite from a large snake in rather a singular manner. He observed its tail in the cleft of a rock, and very imprudently laid hold of it, with the intention of dragging it forth to light, and dashing its head against the rock in which it was lodged. The snake happened to be coiled; and, on feeling that its tail was touched, darted at the intruder's hand,

it in the act of regular loco-motion, nor obtained the substance of his account from such persons as were capable of communi-` cating correct information. The fact is, the Rattle-snake moves on the surface of the earth with as much ease and quickness, and exactly in the same manner, as an eel wriggles along the slimy bottom of a river.