Rattle-snake, in zoology, a genus belonging to the order of amphibia serpentes; the characters of which are thefe: The belly is furnished with fcuta, and the tail has both fcuta and scales; but the principal characteristic of this genus, is the rattle at the end of the tail. The rattles confift of feveral articulated crustaceous, or rather horny, bags, which make a confiderable rattling noise when the creature moves, and serves to warn people of their approach. There are five species; and the bite of every one of them is fo highly poisonous, that it generally kills in a fhort time. Of thefe we have no account that can be depended upon, except that given by Mr Cateby of the horridus, or American rattle-snake. This grows fometimes to the length of 8 feet, and weighs between 8 and 9 pounds. The colour of the head is brown; the eye red; the upper part of the body of a yellowish-brown colour, tranfverfely marked with irregular broad black lines. The rattle is of a brown colour, composed of feveral horny, membranous, cells, of an undulated pyramidal figure. These are articulated within one another in fuch a manner that the point of the first cell reaches as far as the basis of the protuberant ring of the third, and fo on; which articulation, being very loose, gives liberty to the parts of the cells that are inclofed within the outward rings to strike againft the fides of them, and fo to caufe the rattling noise which is heard when the snake shakes its tail. This is the moft inactive and slow moving of all the snakes, and is never the aggressor except in what it preys upon. The above gentleman is of opinion that no remedy is yet difcovered for the bite of this animal. He had frequently access to fee Indians bit by it, and always thought that thofe who recovered were cured more through the force of nature, or by reafon of the flightnefs of the bite, than by the remedies ufed. He tells us, that the Indians know their deftiny the moment they are bit; and if the bite happens to be on any of the large veins, they apply no remedies, as knowing them to be entirely ufeless. CROCHET, in music, one of the notes or characters of time, marked thus , equal to half a minim, and double of a quaver.

CROCHETS are also marks or characters, serving to inclose a word or sentence which is distinguished from the rest, being generally in this form [ ].