ANACONDA (Eunectes murinus), an aquatic boa, inhabit ing the swamps and rivers of Brazil, northeastern Peru and the Guianas in South America. It is the largest of American snakes and rivals the reticulated python as the largest snake in the world. Exaggerated tales have been told by travellers of its size and swallowing capacity, but the largest known have rarely exceeded 3o ft. in length. There is very great dread of this snake among the natives, though authenticated cases of it having attacked man are few. The general colour of the anaconda is olive-brown, with large oval black spots arranged in two alternating rows along the back, and with smaller white-eyed spots along the sides. The belly is whitish, spotted with black. The head is elongate, flat, and very distinct from the neck. The top of the head is very dark and is separated from the paler sides by a black streak forming a point on the snout. An oblique streak is found on each side between the eyes. The nostrils are situated between, three large shields. The anaconda feeds chiefly at night upon birds and other animals which it kills by constriction. In contrast to the boa, which rarely takes to the water, the anaconda spends most of its time there, lying entirely submerged, with only a small part of its head above the surface, waiting for any suitable prey. Only seldom does it estab lish itself in the branches of trees like the boa. It is ovoviviparous and the young are about 36 in. long when born.
A smaller species of anaconda, Eunectes notreus inhabits Para guay and the northern part of Argentina.