1852.] 205 



killed a black womaa in Western Africa, death ensuing a short time after the 

 bite ; so that, as a general rule, it is best for travellers to avoid all serpents, un- 

 less they be naturalists and well acquainted with their structure and habits. In 

 Bucephalus, a genus established by Dr. Andrew Smith, found in S. Africa, the 

 posterior teeth are larger than the rest, and grooved upon their anterior and 

 convex surface, as is the case also in Dryophis and Dipsas. Bucephalus, accord- 

 ing to Dr. Smith, has six rows of teeth in the upper jaw, which is very re- 

 markable, most serpents having but four. In vol. iv. p. 39 of the Proceed- 

 ings of the Academy, mention is made by Dr. Savage of a wood sawyer having 

 been bitten by a green serpent, while in the act of preparing a log for the saw 

 probably one of the species above described. The wound was in the foot, which 

 was swollen, as was also the leg as high as the knee. Strong rum and Sulph. of 

 Morphia were administered, and a free incision was made over the wound. Pas- 

 sive hemorrhage ensuing, the vessels were taken up and tied; the whole limb 

 up to the groin became enormously swollen ; a bad sore followed the incision, 

 and the cuticle of the limb to a great extent came off. He recovered at the end 

 of three weeks. 



DENDROPHIS, Boie. 



Dendrophis plavigulaeis. 



Sp. Char. Head dark brown above, lighter upon the sides ; body and tail jet 

 black; thirteen rows of scales; total length 6 ft. 3 in. 10 lines. Abdominal 

 scuta 207 ; sub-caudal 146. 



Description. The head presents the form of a triangle truncated anteriorly, 

 depressed above posteriorly ; rostral plate pentangular, broader below than 

 above, rounded in front ; there are two nasal plates with the nostrils between 

 them ; the anterior nasal is very large ; there is a loral plate, also 

 large and more or less quadrangular in shape ; there is but one ant-ocular, 

 which is broad above, its upper surface extending inward between the posterior 

 frontal and the supra-ocular; there are three post-oculars, the two upper 

 of nearly equal size, the inferior long and slender ; there are two anterior and 

 two posterior frontals, the posterior rather larger than the anterior ; the 

 vertical is pentagonal, much broader anteriorly; the supra-oculars are 

 large, broad behind, narrow in front ; the occipitals are broad and short, 

 their transverse diameter being equal to their length ; there are two temporal 

 plates behind the posterior ocular, the posterior much larger than the anterior; 

 there are eight superior labials, the fourth and fifth forming part of the orbit, 

 the sixth and seventh are the largest ; the eyes are very large ; there are four 

 rows of teeth in the upper jaw ; nine plates margin the lower jaw on each side ; 

 the neck is contracted ; the body long and slender, thicker in the middle, covered 

 above with long and 'harrow carinated scales ; those nearest the abdomen are 

 shorter and broader than the rest ; tail covered with smooth imbricated scales, 

 broader than long. 



Color. Dark brown upon the upper part of the head, and upon the temples ; 

 lighter upon the sides ; chin and throat yellowish white ; neck yellowish white, 

 spotted with black ; body and tail jet black ; lighter upon the abdomen. 



Dimensions. Length of head 1 inch 4 lines ; greatest breadth 6 J lines ; length 

 of body 3 ft. .5 in. 2i lines ; length of tail 1 ft. 6 in. 8 lines ; greatest circum- 

 ference 2f inches. 



Habitat. Liberia, Western Africa. 



A specimen in the Museum of the Academy, presented by Dr. Henry A. Ford. 



Remarks. The animal above described has a general resemblance to the 

 Bucephalus capensis of Dr. Andrew Smith, and is of about the same length, 

 but differs in color. Bucephalus capensis, according to Dr. Smith, has six rows 

 of teeth. 



32 



