ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



6W 



Scarlet King Snake, {Opiiibolus sonatus), and 

 the boldly ringed Chain Snake, (O. getiilus 

 boylii), are at all times in the collection. 



"The reptiles of the central and eastern 

 portions of the United States are easier to 

 (ibtain, and only a very small proportion of 

 their number can be rated as extremely rare 

 in captivity. Our collection is always rich in 

 this material, and the student finds a fine series 

 for observation. Among the serpents of the 

 southeastern portion of the United States, 

 where the coastal swamps possess an imposing 

 reptilian fauna, is the huge Diamond Rattle- 

 snake, iCrotaliis adaiiiantcus), of Florida, 

 Georgia and South Carolina. We have ex- 

 hibited specimens seven feet in length. Of the 

 rarer snakes of the Floridian fauna, we have 

 had several examples of a peculiar species 

 with an exceedingly slender body, but propor- 

 tionately very short tail. This is Stilosoina 

 cxfciiiiafiiiii. attaining a length of about 

 twenty inches, (^.f burrowing habits, and first 

 described by Mr. Arthur Erwin Brown, of 

 Philadelphia. This snake has. thus far, been 

 captured only in a restricted area of Florida. — 

 in Orange and Marion Counties. We never 

 have induced our specimens to take food. 



In summing up our efforts to maintain a 

 large series of the North American reptiles it 

 is appropriate to state that we have exhibited 

 thirteen of the seventeen known species of 

 poisonous serpents, and fifty-four out of ninty- 

 six species of the innocuous species. L)f the 

 Lizards we have exhibited a like proportion. 

 Of the chelonians — the turtles ;ind tortoises — 



RHINOCEROS VIPER. 



however, we have exhibited about ninety-five 

 per cent, of the species inhabiting the United 

 States. Members of both species of the North 

 American crocodilians occupy our tanks. A 

 number of our too-abundant alligators have 

 been hatched in the Reptile House, from eggs 

 collected by the Society's expeditions. Of the 

 Florila Crocodile (Crocodilus amc'ricanus 

 floridaiius). which inhabits the extreme 

 southerly portion of the Florida peninsula, and 

 is not at all easy to obtain, we display two 

 large examples in the crocodile pool, and 

 several voung specimens in the smaller ( nurs- 

 ery ) tanks. 



REPTILES OF CENTR.\L AND SOUTH AMERICA. 



These countries possess a rich and varied 

 reptilian fauna, and through the many lines of 

 steamers plying to tropical ports we receive 

 much good material. Unfortunately, the in- 

 tense fear of poisonous snakes among the 

 natives, and the general spirit of unwillingness 

 to transport these creatures on the steamship 

 lines, have resulted in our collection of the 

 intensely interesting vipers of the New World 

 tropics being continually small. Through the 

 interest and courtesy of Mr. R. R. Alole, of 

 Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, B. W. L, the Reptile 

 House has been kept supplied with specimens- 

 of the deadly Bushmaster or Surocucu, (La- 

 chcsis III lit us), and the Fer-de-Lance, (L. 

 atro.v). while Mr. Alole has also furnished the 

 Society with examples of the South American 

 Rattlesnake, (Crotaliis diirissiis). and the 

 Coral Snakes, {Elaf's Icin- 

 iiiscaftis and E. coralliiuis). 

 1 1 e has sent on to New 

 \'ork a considerable num- 

 ber of the harmless snakes, 

 lizards and other creatures 

 of the tropics. 

 ^^^ While noting our South 



American exhibits, our col- 

 lection of Giant Tortoises 

 should be mentioned. The 

 Galapagos Islands, oiif the 

 '~- coast of Ecuador, are in- 

 liabited by a race of practi- 

 cally prehistoric monsters, 

 tortoises so huge as to be 

 out of all proportion to the 

 "; terrestrial chelonians inhab- 

 iting the continents of the 

 New and Old Worlds. We 

 have two of the several 

 species of tortoises inhab- 

 iting the Galapagos Is- 

 lands. ( )iu" specimens rep- 



