MEMOIR ON AMPHIBIA. 379 



ciicliantment, terror, or a fuftbcating emanation, the pro- 

 duce of that unrefleding horror which thefe reptiles in- 

 furc into the greater part of mankind, are very natural 

 phenomena, and of eafy explication, as foon as oblcrvers 

 and natnralifls have learnt to fliake off their prejudices, 

 and will be bold enough, without raflinefs, to feek thefc 

 animals in their retreats, at all feafons of the year, in order 

 to obferve them with coolnefs, and without prepoffeffion. 



We, Mr. Peale and myfelf, propofe to make experi- 

 ments upon the poilon of the boiquira, and we fliall fub- 

 mit them to the fociety when the fads and experiments 

 have been fufficiently repeated and authenticated to eftab- 

 lifhfome certain truths. I fliall conclude this memoir by 

 a few reflections on the fyfl:ematical diftribution of fer- 

 pents. 



Linnseus was of opinion that the teeth of ferpents did 

 not afford charadlers fufficiently marked to be the founda- 

 tion of a fyftematical arrangement. He made ufe for this 

 purpofe of the plates or fcales which cover their belly and 

 the under part of their tail. M. de la Cepede, a fucceffor 

 worthy of Buffon, on account of his eloquence and his 

 clearnefs, and ftill more worthy of eulogium on account 

 of the refpecl which he pays to the moft celebrated of na- 

 turalifts, the immortal Linnscus, has followed the fams 

 plan. 



M. de la Cepede diftributes ferpents into eight genera ; 

 namely, Couleuvres (coluber) whofe charadieriflics are large 

 fcales under the body, and two rows of fmall fcales under' 

 the tail. Boa (boa) which have large fcales under the 

 body and tail likewife. The rattlefnakes Boiquira (crota- 

 lus) which have large fcales under the body, and the tail in 

 like manner, but are terminated by rattles, articulated the 

 one into the other and giving out a noife. 



The Afigi/is (anguis) which are wholly covered with 

 imbricated fcales. 



3 D 2 The 



