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Show Aug. 1833. BAHIA BLANCA. 114 h 'd a . l for as a Gauc o sal ' Pity to kill such nice little amma sb, k f one " Son tan while sharpening hi.s k n~. f e on the ac o ' mansos" (they are so qmet). k' d . one snake (a TrigonoOf reptiles there are many m hs." ) from the size of the cephalus, or more pro Perly a Copb laS e'r y deadly. Cuvi. er, m. l . . ts fangs must e v Poison channe m 1 ' . kes this a sub-genus . ther naturalists, rna . opposition to some o . diate between it and the viper. of the rattlesnake, and mter~~ I bserved a fact, which In confirmation of thi~ opmwdn~ tr:ctive as showing how appears to me very curwus an. Ins be in s'o me degree m. d e-every character, even though ltd may t vary by slow degrees. pendent of struc t ure, has. a ten he' ncy ok e is terminated b Y a The extremity of the ta~l of t lSl sna d . and as the animal h. h . ry shghtly en arge ' d h' point, w lC IS ve 'b t d the last inch; an t IS glided along, it constantly V1 ra e d brushwood, produced 'ki . st the dry grass an d' part stn ng. agam . ld b distinctly heard at the IS-a rattling nOise, whiCh cou e tl animal was irritated or f · f t As often as 1e tance o SIX ee . d the vibrations were ex- . d 't t ·1 was shaken; an . . · surpnse ' 1 s ai th body retained Its unta- 1 'd Even as long as e 'd t treme y rapl . . h b't 1 movement was evl en . bility, a tendency to this ah 1 ufa in some respects the . T . halus bas t ere ore, . This ngonoc.ep . the habits of a Crotalus ; the nOise, structure of V1pera, with . 1 d · The expres- . d d by a simp er eVIce. however, bemg pro uce h'd and fierce. the pupil f h' ke's face was 1 eous ' sion 0 t lS sna . 1' • ottled and coppery iris ; the consisted of a vertical s lbt m a m d the nose terminated in a . broad at the ase, an h' Jaws were . . I do not think I ever saw any t mg triangular proJeCtiOn. h . me of the vampire bats. 1 epting per aps, m so more ug y, exc : t iginates from the features !e::;~~:e~t~: ;r~::~~~,:~~£ph:~!: ~=~=; o:~~r~h:m;~ what propor wna · obtain a scale of beauty. . 1 one little A Ongst the Batrachian reptlles! I found on y . t dm w hich was most singular from I· ts co 1o ur. If w. e Imad- ?" ' first that it had been steeped in the blackest mk~ •; d tghmeen, wh en' d ry, allowed to crawl over a board, freshly pam e Aug. 1833. REPTILES. 115 with the brightest vermilion, so as to colour the soles of· its feet and parts of its stomach, a good idea of its appearance will be gained. If it is an unnamed species, surely it ought to be called diabolicus, for it is a fit toad to preach in the ear of Eve. Instead of being nocturnal in its habits, as other toads are; and living in damp obscure recesses, it crawls during the heat of the day about the dry sand-hillocks and arid plains, where not a single drop of water can be found. It must necessarily depend on the dew for its moisture; and this probably is absorbed by the skin, for it is known, that these reptiles possess great powers of cutaneous absorption. At Maldonado, I found one in a · situation nearly as dry as at Bahia Blanca, and thinking to give it a great treat, carried it to a pool of water; not only was the little animal unable to swim, but, I think, without help would soon have been drowned. Of lizards there were many kinds, but only one remarkable, from its habits. It lives on the bare sand near the sea coast, and from its mottled colour, the brownish scales being speckled with white, yellowish red, and dirty blue, can hardly be distinguished from the surrounding surface. When frightened it attempts to avoid discovery by feigning death, with , outstretched legs, depressed body, and closed eyes : if further molested, it buries itself with great quickness in the loose sand. This lizard, from its flattened body and short legs, cannot run quickly. It belongs to the genus Ophryessa. I will here add a few remarks on the hybernation of animals in this part of South America. When we first arrived at Bahia Blanca, September 7th, 1832, we thought nature had granted scarcely a living creature to this sandy and dry country. By digging, however, in the ground, several insects, large spiders, and lizards were found in a half torpid state. On the 15th, a few animals began to appear, and by the 18th (three days from the equinox), every thing announced the commencement of spring. The plains were ornamented by the flowers of a pink wood sorrel, wild peas, renotherre, and geraniums ; and the birds began to lay their I 2 |