" The flesh of this serpent is white, and abundant in fat. The people of the plains never cat it, but make use of the fat as a remedy for rheumatic pains, ruptures, strains, &c. When these creatures are young the colours on the akin are very bright, and gradually lone their brilliancy with age." There is generally in these descriptions an account of the fleshy tongue of the reptile, and of its application to the dead animal for the purpose of covering it with saliva, previous to the operation of swallowing it. A glance at the tongue of a Boa or a Python will convince the observer that few worse instrumento, for such a purpose could have been contrived. The delusion is kept up by the mode in which those serpents are sometimes preserved in museums, where they may be occasionally seen with fine artificial, thick, fleshy, ver milion tongues in the place of the small dark-coloured extensile organs with which nature has furuished them. We have frequently watched constricting serpents while taking their prey, and it is almost super fluous to add that they never covered the victim with saliva from the tongue before deglutition. When the prey is dead and the serpent is about to swallow it, the tongue of the destroyer is frequently thrust forth and vibrated, as if indicatory of the desire for food ; but the mucus in not poured out till it is required to lubricate the dilated jaws and throat for the disproportioned feast.
14. Chilahothrus. Crown covered with regular shields ; nostrils lateral, between three scales.
a inertia/us, the Yellow Snake, is a native of Jamaica. The head and front part of the body olive; temple with a narrow black streak ; back with small scattered black oblique cross lines; hinder part of the body black, with olive spots. A living specimen is in the Gardens of the Zoological Society.
*** Scales keeled; lateral shields not pitted; nostrils between two plates.
15. Ungalia. Head covered with symmetrical shields. The species are natives of tropical America.
U. tnelanura, Black-Tailed Ungalia, has been found in Cuba.
U. maculate, the Pardaline Ungalia, is found in Cuba and Jamaica.
Scales keeled ; lateral shields not pitted ; nostrils a single plate.
16. Enygrus. Head covered with small irregular shields; nostrils in a single plate. There are two species, inhabitants of the Asiatic islands. .& carinalus, the Candoia. It has been found in New Guinea.
E. Bilroni. Bibron's Enygrus. A specimen exists in the Museum at Paris.
17. Casarea. Head scaly ; muzzle covered with symmetrical shields ; nostrils in a single plate (I). One species, C. Dussumieri, thc Casarea, is found in the Isle ltonde near Mauritius.
18. Bolyeria, Head covered with symmetrical shields ; nostrils in A single plate.
B. multicarinata, the Bolyeria, is the only species. It is a native of Port Jackson, Australia.
II. Tail rery short, slightly or not prehensile ; head indistinct, short.
a. Head covered with scales; pupil oblong; scales convex ; subcaudal shield one-rowed ; intermaxillary teeth none ; supra-orbital bone none.
19. Cusoria. Muzzle rounded ; ventral and subcaudal platea narrow scales ovate, of body and tail smooth.
C. deans, the Cusoria, is the only species. Inhabits Affghanistan.
20. Gongylophis. Muzzle wedge-shaped; jaws equal ; head with small keeled scales; scales of back keeled ; body fusifonn.
coniea (Ike conica, Schneider; B. ornate, Dnudin; Eryx Bengal ensis and Seytale coronata, Guerin), the Yntlnin Cootoo.' It is a native of Ilinduatttn.
21. Ery.r. Muzzle wedge-shaped ; upper jaw largeat ; bead with small scales; scales of back smooth, of hinder part of body keeled.
E. Jaculus (Tortrix Eryx, Anguis Jaculus, A. eolulrine, Linn:eua ; A. eerastes, Hasselquist, Eryx Delta, Geoffrey), the Eryx. This species, known by its distinct gular groove and two pairs of frontale, has been found in Egypt, Corfu, Xanthus, Naxos, Greece, and on the shores of the Mediterranean.
E. Thellaieus, the Shielded F.ryx, has no gular groove, and one pair of frontala. It is a native of Egypt and the North of Africa.
22. Clothonia. Muzzle wedge-shaped; upper jaw largest; scales smooth.
C. Jahnii (Boa Johnii, Riippell, Ery.r Johnii, Humeri], Tortrix Ery.r, Schlegel, A mph iskrna, Cyclopedia,' fig.), the Clothonia, is the only species belonging to this genus.
This species is of a reddish brown colour, and in a native of Hindustan.
b. Head shielded; pupil round.
23. Cylindrophis. Nostrils in a single shield ; eyes surrounded by shields ; intermaxillary teeth none. This genus has three species.
C. mclaneta, the Black-Backed Pamboo. It has a triangular trun cated tail. The muzzle is black, the end of tail white ; the belly black and white banded ; the tail longer than the head. It is a native of Celebes.
C..rafa, the Schilnj Pamboo, with n conical tail and broad muzzle. It is black or reddish, often white-ringed ; bead and tip of tail black ; a white spot on each fronto-nasal plate. It is a native of Penang. Dr. Gray describes two varieties, one from Borneo, another from Celebes.
C. maculata (Toth-ix maculata, Schlegel ; Anguis tesselata, A. deru pata, Laurenti), the Miguel, has a conical tail and narrow muzzle. It is red or brown, netted with black; beneath whitish. It inhabits Ceylon.
24. Marina. Nostrils between two shields ; eyes surrounded by small scales.
Botts (Tortri.e Bothe, Blainville), the Charina, is the only species. It is of a pale yellow colour, with back and tail darker. It is found in California.
25. Tortrix. Nostrils between two shields ; eyes in a single shield ; intermaxillary teeth distinct.
T. Scytale (Angelis Sc;/tale, Linnaeus, A. ater, Shaw, Tortrix coral Oppell), the Coral Snake. It is a native of tropical America. BOIS DE COLOPHANE. DiuusEan.)