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Show 12 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE [Jan. 16, 2. Contributions to the Anatomy of the Ophidia. By F R A N K E. B E D D A R D , M.A., F.R.S., Prosector to the Society. [Received December 7th, 1905.] (Text-figures 2-11.) CONTENTS. (1) On the Vascular System of the Anaconda, on the Characters of the newly-born Young of Eunectes notceus, and on the Differences between the two Species of the Genus Eunectes, viz. E. murinus and E. notceus : p. 12. (2) Some Notes upon the Venous System of Python sebce : p. 27. (3) Some Notes upon the Anatomy of Ilysia scytale, bearing upon its systematic position: p. 31. (4) The Structure of the Young Bitis nasicornis, with Notes on other Vipers: p. 34. (5) Considerations respecting the Primitive Structure of the Lungs in the Squamata: p. 41. (1) Notes on the Vascular System of the Anaconda, on the Characters of the newly-born Young of Eunectes notseus, and on the Differences between the two Species of the Genus Eunectes, viz. E. murinus and E. notaeus. The opportunity of examining two newly-born* examples of a little-known species of Anaconda, viz. Eunectes notceus, is so unlikely to be of frequent occurrence, that I have thought it desirable to make as detailed a study as possible of the veins, while the fact that comparatively little is know^n of the venous system in the genus Eunectes seemed to me to render this study still more desirable. So far as I am aware, some notes by myself t upon the intercostal arteries and the anterior abdominal vein are all that has been published upon this genus of Boine snakes so far as concerns the vascular system. On the other hand, there is abundant material for comparison with the anatomy of the vascular system of Pylhont, and less with that of Eryx § and Boa ||. External characters of Young.-The newly-born young of this snake retain some of the embryonic veins and the yolk-sac is not completely absorbed. This would appear to be a great disadvantage until we reflect that the Anaconda is so very aquatic an animal that the young are possibly born in the water %. The navel is a very large aperture in the ventral median line, measuring 14 mm. X 9 m m . or 12 m m . x 7 m m . It lies 4^ or 5^- m m. from the vent. * These young Anacondas were born on Sept. 27, 1905, and one of them was just living when it came into m y hands. f "Notes upon the Anatomy of certain Snakes of the Family BoidaV P. Z.S. 1904, vol. ii. p. 107. \ Hopkinson & Pancoat, Trans. Amer. Phil. Soc. v. 1837, p. 121; Jacquart, Ann. Sci. Nat. (4) IV. 1855, p. 321 ; Retzius, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1830; Beddard, P. Z. S. 1904, vol. i. p. 362; Panizza, 'Sopra il systema linfatico dei Rettili,' Pavia, 1833 (I have not seen this memoir). § Beddard, P. Z. S. 1904, vol. ii. p. 107. || Gadow, incorporated in Bronn's Thier. vi. Abth. iii. % I am indebted to Mr. Pocock for reminding m e of this. |