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SNAKE-CHARMERS.

of the body. Reptiles, on the contrary, living in air, must be enabled to appreciate its sonorous vibrations, and have therefore organs which are affected by sounds of far greater delicacy. Among these are detected, for the first time, as we ascend in the series of animated nature, a tympanic cavity, and a membranous drum.

A considerable variation of the power of hearing appears in different groups. In tortoises and some other creatures it appears to be obtuse; but in lizards it seems to be otherwise. Thus, it is said, there are lizards in the West Indies, often caught by boys, who take advantage of their fondness for musical sounds to arrest their attention, and then throw a little noose over their heads as they perch in a listening attitude on the branches of the trees. In serpents this sense is very acute, and these animals evidently derive pleasure from musical notes. Of this the persons called serpentcatchers, or charmers, who practise chiefly on cobras, are fully aware.

They pretend to draw these reptiles from their holes by a song, and by an instrument somewhat resembling an Irish bagpipe, on which they play a plaintive tune. That music has power on them there is reason to believe. One gentleman describes the efforts of a snakecatcher, who had been sent for to capture a cobra,

SNAKE-CHARMERS.

which some persons had in vain attempted to kill. He had in his hands, when he arrived, two baskets, one containing tame snakes, the other empty. These and his musical pipes were the only things he brought; and he was required to leave his two baskets at some distance, and to ascend a high green mound, having only his pipe. As he began to play, the cobra, coiled up in a hole, came out gradually and slowly. When it was within reach, the snake-catcher seized it dexterously by the tail, and held it at arm's length, while the cobra, enraged, darted its head in all directions, but in vain. Thus suspended, it has not the power to round itself, so as to seize hold of its tormentor. In these exertions it became exhausted, when the snake-catcher descended the bank, dropped the creature into the empty basket, and closed the lid. He then began to play, and shortly after raised the basket lid. The cobra darted about

wildly, and tried to escape. The lid was shut down again quickly, the music being still played. This was repeated two or three times, and in a very short interval, the lid being raised, the cobra sat on its tail, opened its hood, and danced as quietly as the tame snakes in the other basket; nor did it again attempt an escape.

In the crocodile, the external opening, instead of being closed, as in some other reptiles, has a firm, hard,

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COMMON BARN OWL.

moveable lid, by which the aperture may be either opened or stopped. Thus, while basking on the margin of the river, or lying there in ambush, it has the power of raising the ear-lid to catch any sound; but when it dives under water it closes the opening by this means.

The organ of hearing in a bird is nearly the same in its structure as that of one of the more perfect reptiles, such as the crocodile. There is still no external ear; yet, in a few rare instances, such as the bustard, the feathers are so arranged around the ear as to collect faint impressions of sound. The ears of owls are

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highly susceptible. The cavities within the skull are of unusual size, and the outer opening is very large. It is concealed between two extensive and membranous

HEARING IN MAMMALIA.

valves, from the edges of which proceed the feathers which form the outer rim of the disc which encircles the face. The leaves of this double valve can be thrown apart, so as not only to admit freely, but to concentrate every slight vibration of the air. The effect is also increased by the widely-diffused cavities connected with the mechanism within. Here is preparation for its pursuit of prey. During the day, the owls remain in their retreat, with their eyes half-closed; but at night, as they go forth to the chase, the eyes are fully expanded, and the power of hearing is equally vigorous and active. No noise escapes that sense, the faintest sound is caught, even the cry of the mouse, or its rustle in the straw.

In ascending from these creatures to the mammalia, we observe an increase of power. One remarkable difference appears in the increased complexity of the cochlea, Another, that is observable in the tympanic cavity, is still more remarkable. In the instances now referred to, it is very large, and communicates freely, by means of the eustachian tube, with the throat. Other points of superiority will reward the observations of an attentive student.

One of the most common of our British bats, is that which is remarkable for its long ears. These are

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