314 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



in the most decided manner. In one instance the snake had 

 been left for about six weeks in charge of a friend, and during 

 this interval it was very quiet, and moped a good deal, as if 

 missing its protectors. On their return, while still invisible 

 to the snake, when its name was called by Mrs. Mann, it 

 sprang forward with the greatest eagerness, and wound itself 

 around her shoulders, caressing her in the most excited man- 

 ner, and then moved to Mr. Mann, and twisted itself around 

 him under his coat, but in neither case exerting any uncom- 

 fortable pressure. 



The supposed cause of the death of this serpent is almost 

 as curious as its manners in life, and is related by Mr. Mann 

 as follows : During his own serious illness he was confined to 

 his bed, and unable to respond to the caresses of the serpent. 

 After a failure or two on its part to secure its accustomed 

 attention, it retired to its bed, and, refusing food and water, 

 died in a day or two, and as Mr. Mann believed verily from 

 distress. Many interesting facts are given by Mr. Mann in 

 regard to this remarkable serpent, who states that, although 

 he has had many pets of difi:erent kinds, and some of them 

 tolerably clever, he had never seen any animal that could 

 compare with this boa for aifection, quick sense, and good- 

 humor. 2 A, June 10, 42. 



NEW OEDER OF PTEEOSAUEIA. 



Professor Marsh, in the June number of the American 

 Journal of Science^ gives an account of a new order of Ptero- 

 sauria, or winged saurians, embracing the pterodactyls. He 

 finds, on examination of the specimens obtained by him in 

 1871 and 1872, that they really are not the equivalents of 

 the pterodactyls of Europe, as they differ therefrom in the 

 absence of teeth. In his opinion the jaws were probably in- 

 cased in a horny covering like that of the bills of birds. In 

 several other respects the jaws of this genus are more like 

 those of birds than of any known reptiles. 



The vertebrae are similar to those of European pterosau- 

 rians, and the atlas and axis are united. There are four pha- 

 langes in the wing finger, and the metacarpal that supports 

 it is longer than one half of the fore-arm. 



The head of one of the species of this new genus, which he 

 calls Pteranodon longiceps^ has a length of thirty inches from 



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