I. Tail prehensik, strong ; head distinct f truncated.
a. Subcandal plate two-rowed ; intermaxillary or incisive teeth distinct ; superciliary bone distinct • Crown of head with small shield-like plates.
1. Morelia. Upper and lower labial shields deeply pitted ; muzzle with symmetrical shields. There are two species of this genus, one with the vertical plate indistinct, the other with the same plate distinct : M. spilotes (Coluber argils, Linnaeus, Coluber spikees, Lac6pede), the Diamond-Snake. This species has the vertical plates indistinct. It is of a bluish-black colour, very irregularly yellow, spotted, a spot on time centre of each scale, forming a group of five or six together or a kind of tied blotch ; occiput with an angular band. It is a native of Australia.
rariegata, the Carpet-Snake. Vertical plates distinct. It is whitish, with numerous irregular black-edged olive cross-bands, with irregular serrated and torn edges ; head olive, varied with two or three white spots in the centre of the crown, and a broad short:band behind each eye. Several specimens of this species are in the British Museum, brought from Port Essington, Swan River, and other parts of Aus tralia, " Crown of head shielded to behind the eyes.
2. Python. Upper and lower labial shields deeply pitted; muzzle and forehead with symmetrical shields; nostrils verticaL There are two species of this genus which have been referred to by many writers as varieties of Boa Constrictor. They are distinguished by placing their eggs in a group and covering them with their body. This statement, which was made by Mr. Bennett, and afterwards con firmed by M. Lamare Picquot, has been doubted, but its truthfulness has been confirmed by the proceedings of a python in the Garden of Plants at Paris.
P. reticulates, the Ular Sawad, is distinguished from the next species by the four front upper labial plates being pitted; the frontal plate simple ; the head has a narrow longitudinal brown stripe. It is one of the most brilliant species of the whole family, its whole body being covered with a gay lacing of gold and black. It is a native of Hin dustan, Ceylon, and Borneo. Several specimens are in the British
Museum, and a living specimen in the gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park. It is said to increase till it is more than thirty feet in length and stout in proportion. The powers of such a gigantic reptile must be enormous, and it is 'dated that this serpent is able to manage a buffalo. Nor are there wanting horrible instances of man himself having fallen a prey to these monsters in modern times. The story goes that a Malay prow was anchored for the night under the island of Celebes. One of the crew had gone on shore to search for betcl-nut, and is supposed to have fallen asleep upon the botch from weariness on his return. In the dead of the night his companions] on board were roused by dreadful scream : they immediately went ashore, but they came too late; the cries had ceased, and the wretched man had breathed his last in the folds of an enortnous serpent, which they killed. They cut off the head of the snake and carried it, toge ther with the lifeless body of their comrade, to the vessel The right wrist of the corpse bore the marks of the serpent's teeth, and the dis figured body showed that the man had been crushed by tho constric tion of the reptile round the head, neck, breast, and thigh. The picture by Daniell, representing a man seized by one of these monsters, will be familiar to many of our readers.
1'. vultures (Coluber wolurea, Linnaeus, P. Jaraniees, Kuhl, P. Tigris, Daudin), the Rock-Snake, is one of the species of this family often called by the Immo hoe Constrictor. It is characterised by having the two pairs of front upper and three hinder lower labial shields pitted, with the frontal plate double. The structure of the head and jaws of this species is seen in the annexed cuts, which will illustrate generally these points] in the anatomy of the family. In the Museum of the College of Surgeons are several beautiful preparations] of the structure of this gigantic snake. Four living examples are now in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, Regent's Park. This species is a native of Hindustan, Java, and other parts of Asia.