2 28 SNAKES. 



Of American water snakes, the anaconda deserves special 



mention. Of it Seba says, ' Ce serpent habite plus les eaux 



que les rochers ; ' and in its having the nostrils situated on 



the top of the head, and in possessing some other features 



in common with the Hovialopsidce, we are justified in calling 



it a water serpent, notwithstanding it is a true constrictor. 



'Mother of waters,' the aborigines of South America call 



it. It is the Boa aquatica of Neuwied, and Etinectes nmrimis 



of Wagler, the latter name being the one most frequently 



used by modern herpetologists. Dumeril adopts it, VEimect 



viurifi, giving the origin of the generic name, bon nageiu% 



from the Greek sO, bien,fort, and ^/jjir-zj?, nageiir — qui nage bien. 



As to the meaning of the specific name inmmus, there can 



be but little doubt, though some have attributed it to its 



mouse-coloured skin or spots. Le viangciir de rats, Bonnat 



called it ; le rativoro, Lacepede. Seba, who was one of the 



first to describe it, says, ' II font guerre aux rats ; ' and 



Bonnat, on his authority, says, ' II se nourrit d'une espece 



de rats.' ' Serpent d'Amerique a moucheteur de tortue,' 



Seba also describes it, and with 'jolies ecailles magnifique- 



ment madrees de grandes taches, semblable de celles des 



tortues ; taches semees sans ordres, grands, petits,' etc. 



Miirinus, therefore, clearly refers to its food, not its colour. 



Dumeril's description is of more scientific exactness : * Pas 

 de fossettes aux levres. On pent aisement reconnaitre les 

 Eunectes seul entre les boa, ils ont les narines percees a la 

 face supericure du bout du museau et directement tournees 

 vers le ciel' These, being extremely small, and with a 

 power to close hermetically, declare its aquatic habits. Its 

 eyes are prominent, and so placed that the reptile can 



