ACROCHORDIDA. . 61 
pupil. Adult individuals have, like the Pythons, a short conical 
prominence in a groove on each side of the vent; this being the 
extremity of a rudimentary hind limb. “ The snakes of this family,” 
remarks Dr. Giinther, ‘‘show great similarity to the Pythons and 
Boas with regard to their internal structure as well as to their external 
characters. But their tail is very short, not flexible, and much less 
prehensile ; and whilst the serpents just mentioned are more or less 
arboreal, frequenting marshy places with luxuriant vegetation, the 
Lrycide whabit dry, sandy, or stony plains, burrowing with the 
greatest facility below the surface, and entering crevices and holes 
in search of their prey, which consists of mice, lizards and other 
burrowing snakes. Probably they are semi-nocturnal, and able 
to see in dark places as well as in the night. They are found in 
Northern Africa, in the islands of the Mediterranean, in the arid 
parts of India, and probably in Arabia: two species are known to 
have been brought from Sikhim.” . 
The Cursoria eegans is said to be from Afghanistan; Aryx 
jaculus inhabits Greece and Egypt; and there is also &. thebaicus 
in the latter country, and £. /ofnz in India. Another Indian 
species is the Gongylophis conicus, which the natives erroneously 
persist in declaring to be venomous. The “ry. /Johunzi is frequently 
found in the possession of the serpent-charmers of its native country, 
who mutilate the end of its short thick tail in such a manner that the 
scarred extremity somewhat resembles the form of the head. Such 
specimens are shown as deadly two-headed snakes, and, as such, 
are occasionally brought alive to Europe. An example of this 
species lived in the London Zoological Gardens for about eight 
years, and fed regularly on young mice. The keeper assured Dr. 
Giinther that it frequently covered its prey with saliva. It always 
kept itself hidden below the gravel at the bottom of its cage. This 
species attains to a length of nearly four feet, the tail measuring but 
four inches. . 
The Acrochordide constitute a very remarkable small family, of 
which one genus is terrene and another highly aquatic in its habits. 
Whether a third genus, the Javanese Xenodermus, should be referred 
to it, is doubtful, in the opinion of Dr. Giinther. These snakes have 
the body of moderate length, rounded or slightly compressed, and 
covered with small wart-like not imbricate tubercular or spiny 
scales ; tail rather short, prehensile; head rather small, not dis- 
tinctly separated from the neck, and covered with scales like those 
ofthe body; nostrils close together at the top of the snout; teeth 
short, but strong, of nearly equal size, and situate both in the jaws 
