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Show 58 REPTILIA. The spec1· es known are from America, the most common must be . Anguis scytale, L. Seb. II, xx, 3. Two feet long, 1rregularly annulated, white and black.( 1) The UROPELTIS, Cuv. Is a new genus allied to Tortrix, in which the tail is still shorter and obliquely truncated above, the truncated surface flat ~nd studded with granules. The head is very small, the muzzle pomted; there is a range of scales along the belly somewhat larger than the others, and a double range of them under their stump of a tail.(2) In those non-venomous Serpents, on the contrary, where the mastoid bones are detached, and the jaws are susceptible of great dilatation, the occiput is more or less enlarged, and the tongue forked and very extensible. They have long been divided into two principal genera, BoA and CoLUBER, distinguished by the simple or double plates on the under part of the tail. The genus BoA, Lin.(3) Formerly comprized all those Serpents, venomous or not, the un· det part of whose body and tail is furnished with uninterrupted, transverse scaly bands, and which have neither spur nor rattle at the end of the tail. As they are rather numerous, even after de· ducting the venomous species, the others have been again subdi· vide d. The BoA, properly so called, has a hook on each side of the anus, a compressed body, thickest in the middle, a prehensile tail, and small scales on the head, at least on its posterior portion. It is in this genus that are found the largest serpents on the globe; certain spe· ( 1) Add .llng. corallinus, Seb. 11, lxxiii, 2, 1, 3, which is perhaps a mere variety ofthescytale,·-.flng. ater,Id. XXV,'1, and VII, 3;-Tortr. rufa, Merr., which seems to me a variety of the atra;-.llng. maculatus and tessellatus, Seb. 11, c. 2; F. latt~ N. Seba, 11, xxx, 3; Russel, XLlV;-Tort. punctata, Nob., Seb. II, 11,.1, 2,3,4, and VI, 1, 4. (2) Uropeltis ceylanicus, Nob. ;-Urop. philippinus, two new species similar to the Tortriccs even in colour. (3) Boa, the name of certain Italian Serpents of great size, most probably the four striped Coluber, or Serpent of Epidaurus of the Latins. 'Pliny says they were thus named, because they sucked the teats of Cows. The Boa, 120 feet long, which it is pretended was killed in Africa by the army of Regulus, was probably a Python. See Pliny, lib. VIII, cap. xiv. OPHIDIA. 59 cies attain a length of thirty or forty feet, preying on dogs, deer, and even oxen, which they manage to swallow entire, after having crushed them in their folds and covered them with saliva. This operation requires much time and an enormous dilatation of their jaws and throat. Their small lung is hut half the length of the other. The integuments of the head and jaws of these serpents furnish materials for a still further subdivision. 1. In some the head down to the tip of the muzzle is covered with small scales similar to those on the body, and the plates on the jaws are not pitted. Such is the Boa constrictor, L; Le Devin, Lacep. II, xvi, 1; Seb. I, xxxvi, s, liii, 11, lxxxviii, 5, xcix, 1, ci; Devin or Boa empereur of Daudin.(1) Known by a broad chain, which extends along the back, formed alternately by large, blackish, irregularly hexagonal spots, and by pale oval ones, the two ends of which are emarginate. 2. In others there are sealy p] ates from the eyes to the end of the muzzle, but no fossulre on the jaws. Boa scytale and murina, L.; .!lnaconda, Seb. II, xxiii, 1, and xxix, 1; B. aquatica, Pr. Max. liv. II. Brown; a double suit of ro~nd black spots along the back; ocellated spots on the flanks. 3. Some have scaly plates on the muzzle, and little pits or fossulre on the l~teral plates of the jaws. B~a cenchris, L.; .flboma and Porte .!lnneau, Daud.; Seb. I, lvi, 4, II, xxviii, 2, and xcviii; Boa cenchrya, Pr. Max. Iiv. VI. Fawn coloured with a suite oflarge brown rings along the back, and variable spots on the flanks. These three species, which attain a nearly equal size, inhabit the marshy grounds of the hot parts of South America; winding their tail round some aquatic tree, theydart their floating body upon the quadrupeds which come there to drink. 4. Some have plates on the muzzle, the side of the jaw being (1) Daudin thinks that the Devin is to be found in the eastern continent, but it is certainly from Guiana. Vaillant and Humboldt have procured it there. Pr. Max. has found it in Brazil. The two succeeding species were also brought from Surinam by M. Le Vaillant, and it is well known th.'lt the Bojobi inhabits Brazil. I do not think there is any large Boa, properly so styled, in the eastern world. The great Serpents of Africa and India are Pythons. The name Devin arises from the circumstance of having improperly applied to this Serpent what is stated respecting certain large Colubers, which constitute the Fetiches of some negro tribes. |
