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Show 502 MESSRS. MOLE AND URICH ON T H E [June 19, When the snake is in motion, however, if he can be induced to move in sunlight he presents a remarkably beautiful appearance. The dull dark brown seems to change to a rich mosaic, over which shimmers a lovely bluish iridescence as he wends his sinuous way along the branches. Each scale is of a dark brown colour at the extremity furthest from its attachment to the skin, but underneath, where they are overlapped by the other scales, they are pale or bright yellow. The ventral scales are dark brown aud rich yellow, sometimes punctured with black. These snakes have very large aud prominent eyes with a vertical pupil. Their teeth are numerous, long, and sharp, and when disturbed the snakes are always ready to bite, throwing their heads forward with a ferocious lunge, which is very formidable to thoso unused to snakes' ways ; but they are not at all sure of their aim, and their widely distended jaws can be easily avoided. They rarely if ever retreat when threatened. This makes their capture very easy, and the boys who catch them do so by advancing upon them boldly, presenting to them the palm of the open hand, fingers and thumb erect and close together. The snake thrusts forward its muzzle to examine the strange object, and the boy simply closes his hand and secures its head. The reptile can then be disentangled from the branches and placed in a bag. This snake is known in Trinidad as " Cascabel Dormillon," which is patois for " sleeping rattlesnake "-Cascabel being the name given by the Venezuelan Spaniards to Crotalus horridus. The species is frequently found in bamboo clumps, and in bushes in the vicinity of or overhanging streams. They feed principally upon birds and rats, and are often met in the trees on the banks of the Caroni river, where no doubt the Porcupine Eat, Loncheres guiance (Thos.), is its chief food. BOA CONSTRICTOR. Boa Constrictors in Trinidad are known as " Macajuel" or " Macacouile," and tremendous stories are told of the enormous dimensions they are supposed to attain. Mr. A. B. Carr of Caparo, a very careful observer, who has seen and caught many of these reptiles, says that the largest he has ever seen was a female 1 U feet long. It contained 41 eggs. W e have frequently seen them 6, 8, and 10 feet, and one in our possession now, which came from Chaguaramas, and the dimensions of which were taken the day after its purchase, measured from tip of nose to extremity of tail 10 feet 6 inches, but it is probable that it is at least 6 inches longer, as the difficulty of getting it to remain quiet was very great, and it could not be pulled out straight. It was 15± inches in circumference at the thickest part of the body. Its head measured 4 inches long; the circumference of the head at the widest part was 8 inches ; the tail from anus to tip was 111 inches ; and it weighed 50 lbs. exactly. It is probable that Boas (in Trinidad, at any rate) never exceed 12 feet. Boas are frequently found in trees, but we have never heard of large ones |