THE . XENOD ONS. 40 1 



fang-like back tooth. Strange indeed ! Heterodon I knew 

 possessed a large, fang-like tooth, which had caused it to be 

 called ugly names. Now here is more heterodox dentition. 



Dr. Wucherer's account of the Xenodon was discovered in 

 the Zoological Society Proceedings for 1861. He also had been 

 a C.M.Z.S.^ in the same region, and his report of the curious 

 Xenodon rJiabdocephabis is that it is v^ery voracious, feeding 

 chiefly on frogs, but will swallow his friend too, should the 

 latter have hold of one on which he has set his heart. 

 It flattens itself remarkably, and thus gets through a very 

 narrow chink. It is a fresh-water snake, called Cobra d'aqua 

 in Brazil, also Siiriicucic (from its evil reputation). But Dr. 

 Wucherer says not a word of those fang-like teeth. 



Meanwhile Dr. Stradling had most kindly sent me 

 the magnificent specimen of ' Ctirncucn' {LacJiesis nuitus)^ in 

 spirits ; and this, together with the investigation of certain 

 other vernaculars, made the Xenodon of only secondary 

 interest in our correspondence until exactly six months 

 afterwards, when, on landing, June 1 881, he wrote that he 

 was sending a Heterodon and another Xenodon to the Gardens. 



' Where are the new snakes } ' I asked the keeper, hurrying 

 to the Reptilium early next day. 



' What new snakes, ma'am } There are none fresh since 

 you were last here.' 



* Ah, well, they are coming ! IMost interesting kinds. I 

 shall wait for them.' 



Sure enough, ere long a boy was seen approaching from 

 the oflice with a * box of snakes.' He also brought the 

 news that the Doctor was expected ' directly.' 



^ Corresponding Member of the Zoological Society. 



2 C 



