INTRODUCTION. 



The chief object in preparing the present Synopsis has been 

 to give at one view a complete Catalogue of all the species 

 of Snakes now in the British Museum collection, and an ac- 

 count of the species known to exist in other collections, but 

 which are desiderata in the Museum collection, to enable tra- 

 vellers, collectors, and others, to assist in completing the 

 national collection. 



At the end of the description of each species is added an 

 enumeration, stating the state, age, country, and other pecu- 

 liarities of each specimen of the kind in the Museum collec- 

 tion ; and when the specimen is not in that collection, the 

 museum or collection in which it has been observed or 

 described is added after the general habitat of the species. 

 The individuals in the Museum collection are indicated by the 

 letters a, b, c, &lc. 



When the age of the specimen is not stated, it is to be un- 

 derstood that it is full grown, or nearly so ; when otherwise, 

 its state is marked; and the sex, when known, and the 

 habitat, as particularly as the materials possessed by the Mu- 

 seum will permit, are added after the letter by which the 

 individual is indicated. 



a 2 



