36 TROPIDONOTUS TAXISPILOTUS. 



Colour. The head is dark brown; the whole superior surface of the neck and 

 body is a hght chocolate-brown. Along the vertebral line is a series of sub- 

 quadrate black spots, lighter in the centre, and on each flank a row of oblong 

 spots or blotches of the same shade — the diflerent series of spots are occasionally 

 confluent, so as to form bars. The abdominal plates are dirty white, most of 

 them with a black spot near the extremity, and the centre dotted minutely with 

 black. 



Dimensions. Length of head, 1 inch 5 lines; length of body, 28 inches; length 

 of tail, 5 inches 6 lines: total length, 35 inches. The individual here described 

 had one hundred and forty-four abdominal plates, the posterior bifid, and seventy- 

 nine sub-caudal bifid plates. 



Habits. This animal is quite new to me; consequently I am ignorant of its 

 habits. Dr. Geddings, however, informs me that it is a water-snake. 



Geographical Distribution. As yet only two specimens of this serpent have 

 come under my observation; one from the sea-board of South Carolina, the other 

 from the neighbourhood of the Altamaha river in Georgia. 



