INTRODUCTION 
This is the first of a series of studies which I intend to publish under the 
title of “Contribuição para o conhecimento dos ofídios do Brasil” (“Contribution 
towards the knowledge oí snakes in Brazil”), in continuation of the series started 
by J. Florêncio Gomes, my esteemed antecedent in this Department of the Butantan 
Institute. 
In Part 1 of this work I shall describe four new species of Brazilian snakes: 
Helicops gomesi, Apostolepis polylepis, Elaps fischeri and Lachesis insularis. Part II 
will be devoted especially to the biology of the new species, Lachesis insularis. 
S. Paulo, Butantan Institute, July 1921. 
Afrânio Amaral 
