Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-11-17
What is Animal Magnetisms

l had ct one time fine flock of white
turkeys, which were always shy, though
much petted by the family because OF
their great beauty. There was a covered
gallery between the DINING room and the
kitchen, with broad folding doors at each
end, in which we were in the habbit of
sitting to read, sew, as women will, and
where was cradle for the baby. Our
turkeys would sometimes stalk rapidly
through this gallery as sort of short cut
on their way to the poultry yard.
One day l was sitting here, the baby in
the cradle asleep, when in strutted tall
hen-t turkey, and instead of hurrying
through as was the habit, she stopped in
front of the cradle, stretched out her long
neck and began sort OF cultural cry,
and stood lnotionless. Presently another
and another entered, and were each trans
fixed In the same way. l arose and ap-
proAehed them, but not one stirred aside,
as was their habit when any one came
near them. I noticed their eyes all had
a strained, unnatural look, their wings
dropped, as if relaxed; they all kept their
necks craned out in stiff, constrained
manner.
At first thought of the sleeping child,
but they were used to it and never took
notice of its presence. Looking in the
direction of their eyes beheld large
snake Of the adder kind, with its body
partially co1led, head erect, and tongue
oscillating, while 10 me its color, ordinar-
lily of dirty black, with orange rosettes,
seemed remarkably brilliant. The crea-
ture was in high excitement of some
kind.
No sooner did I move the cradle than
its whole aspect changed, and it was
common, sluggish adder which skunk
aside to escape. The turkeys all jumped
into the air with ridiculous antic of
delight, and ran Or rather flew out of the
place.
Now, leaving all but the first turkey
out Of the question. what was it that ar
rested her? 1t is possible that all but
the first were actuated by limitation
when they first paused on their way; but
the whole eight or ten turkeys fell at
once into semicircle around the reptile,
and the action Of all was precisely alike,
and like the first.
Was it terror that caused them to halta
Did the reptile magnetic the first one
and was it a case of fascination? Are
fascination and magnetism identical, and
are they paralysis of the nervous sys-
tenn, for the time being, from whatever
cause! A remarkable degree of mental
action, imagination, and observation were
evolved in this case
| have before me natural drum, the
wlthered vertebra of rattlesnakc, which
was killed by neighbor of mine, a
woman Of some skill in handling rifle,
which may further illustrate the subject.
Her house was built on the side of hill,
making it one story in the rear and two
in the front, where was an open area, free
for the poultry of the farm house, and
covered with low grass, plantain, etc.; a
sunny spot, sheltered from the cold of the
north winds by a woody hill. whose trees
quite EMPOWERED the cottage.
One day she was attracted to the win
dow by low plant from her poultry,
which seemed to be all hurrying in one
direction. Looking down she saw them
ranging in . semi-circle, with all their
heads bent in one direction. There were
at least twenty Or thirty silly creatures
all looking the same way, and intent up
on the same object. Leaning from the
window, she beheld a monstrous rattle
snake coiled in pile, with fail vibrating
in soft, gentle motion, which just stirred
the music of the rattles, and the head
keeping time; tongue red and quivering,
and the motion of the neck swaying from
side to side, sweeping in the whole array
ofstupefied chickendom.
Watching all this some time, with no
change on the part of snake or poultry,
she went to the back of the house, took
down her husbands rifle, and fred at
the head of the creature, killing him at
once. the spell was broken, and the
poultry sprang away with the same ridic-
ulous kind of jump and fly had observ-
ed in my turkeys, as if relieved from q
spell.
Now, what brought all these hens and