CE'RBERUS, a genus of Snakes, established by Cuvier in his division of the great genus Coluber. Ip T1r nrrnncrarnctlf of the Snakes of the British Museum, it is placed amongst the Hybridce. The Cerberi like the Pythons, next to which they are placed in the ' Moe Animal,' have nearly the whole of the bead covered with small scales, and plates only between and before the eyes ; but they are without the hooks or nails near the vent. Cuvier further says that they have also sometimes simple plates at the base of the tail, but ob serves that whilst ho has seen this arrangement in one individual, he has remarked others of the same species which had them all double ; a proof in his opinion of the small importance of the character.
C. cinereus (Coluber Cerberus, Daudin), the Karoo Bokadam. Russell, who gives the native name above stated, thus describes the species :— " Abdominal scuts 144, subcaudal squamto 59. The head somewhat broader than the neck, yet appears small in proportion to the trunk ; a little convex above, compressed on the sides, and projecting into a short, obtuse, or subtruncate snout, on which the eyes and nostrils are situated. The snout is covered with small lamime of various forms ; the rest of the head with small euborbieular carinated scales.
The mouth net large, the jaws nearly of equal length. The teeth close set, regular, small, reflex ; a marginal and two palatal rows in the upper jaw. The eyes vertical, small, orbicular, protuberant, each
situated in the centre of a remarkable circle of small triangular laminte. The nos trils very small, vertical, near to each other, and close to the apex of the rostrum.
" The trunk thick, round, covered with large carinated, broad-oval, imbricate scales. The length 3 feet 4i inches; thickness near the head about 3 inches ; the middle of the trunk 4i inches. The tail measures only 3 inches, is a little compressed, tapers moderately, and terminates in an obtuse point " Part of the head is almost black ; the colour of the trunk and tail n very dark gray; the throat, belly, and under part of the tail are of n dusky yellow; but the colour of the acute seemed to have been changed by the spirits." Dr. Russell further observes that his specimen from which our figure is taken was sent from Ganjam in July, 1783, and that he never caw one alive. He adds that notwith standing its suspicious ap pearance, the want of poison shows that the snake is not formidable.
C. acalus, the Bornean Bokadam, is a native of Borueo.
C. tinieelor, the Philippine Bokadam, is a native of the Philippines. C. A sutrali,, the Australian Bokadam, is a native of Australia.