416 SUPPLEMENT. 



the power applied by the dorsal muscles ; than they would 

 be if the spine pursued a straight and intermediate course. 



The dorsal muscles, however, being bound down by an apo- 

 neurosis, so as to pursue nearly the course of the spine, are 

 nearer their fulcrum and have less of this advantage than the 

 lateral muscles, which are farther from their fulcrum ; so that 

 the greatest power is probably that which is exerted in the 

 forward flexion or extension of the body. This power is the 

 one which would be most useful to the animal in swimming 

 at the surface of the water with a motion in any degree vertical. 



Your committee, considering this serpent as nondescript, and 

 as distinct from other genera of serpents in the flexuous struc- 

 ture of its spine, have deemed it necessary to constitute a new 

 genus, founded on this peculiarity. They have adopted the 

 descriptive name of Scoliophis, and have added the local specific 

 name of Atlanticus. Compared with the genera of Linnasus 

 and Lacepede, its character will stand thus : 



Scoliopiiis. Scuta on the belli/, scutellce on the tail, spine 

 flexuous." 



That this is a new and very curious animal, is acknowledged 

 by distinguished foreign naturalists. D. H. S. 



