Dr Snhth on the~ Snakes q/'Souihern Jfrica. S49 



ject, from a feai* of unnecessary repetition or a chance of plagia- 

 risn]^. 



As authors have hitherto, in general, been satisfied with hav- 

 ing dead, distorted, and variously altered specimens for the de- 

 scription of species, in that way the confusion complained of 

 most probably arose ; and if so, the only method calculated to 

 remove it, would be a series of accurate observations made up- 

 on living snakes. As considerable difficulties must necessarily 

 be overcome before that can be generally effected, and as but 

 few individuals, comparatively speaking, can enjoy the means of 

 carrying on such inquiries, it therefore becomes the duty of all 

 interested in the subject, to lose no opportunity of forwarding 

 such a desirable object ; and, under this impression, I have taken 

 minute descriptions, from living examples, of the species actu- 

 ally contained in the South African Museum, of which the an- 

 nexed are abridgments. 



. Such of them as have been ascertained, beyond doubt, to be 

 already known, are designated by the established names ; but 

 where no descriptions have been found in Shaw or Lacepcde 

 (the only authors I have on the subject), answering exactly to 

 the appearances which have been observed, I have given them 

 names myself; and, in one of those instances, have selected, as 

 a specific distinction, the name of the noble individual who 

 procured it, and to whom natural history is indebted for 

 the institution of the South African Museum, where the speci- 

 men is now deposited, viz. Lord Charles Somerset, governor of 

 the Cape of Good Hope. 



The descriptions, though concise, and by no means complete, 

 have been proved to be sufficiently explicit to enable individuals 

 to distinguish, with certainty and facility, the different species, 

 which is all I aim at on the present occasion ; reserving the more 

 ample details, as well as the accurate representations which I ac- 

 tually possess, for a work expressly on the subject. With re- 

 gard to number, 5, I have considered it as a species of the ge- 

 nus Naia, more, however, from its manners than from its natural 

 appearances. In relation to the former, they are exactly like 

 those of number 4, or the Naia capensis, and so completely 

 diflPerent from those of the vipers, that I have placed it, though 

 devoid of the loose skin on the neck, with the former, at least 

 till such time as an opportunity occurs of ascertaining, by ana- 



