THE PELAMYS BICOLOR. 183 
down to a point, and, though possessed of such perfect powers 
of diving and swimming, nothing could induce it to enter the 
water; and as often as he threw it in, it returned in the manner 
above described. 
Perhaps this singular piece of apparent stupidity may be 
accounted for by the circumstance that this reptile has no 
enemy whatever on shore, whereas at sea it must often fall 
a prey to the numerous sharks. Hence, probably urged by a 
fixed and hereditary instinct that the shore is its place of safety, 
whatever the emergency may be, it there takes refuge. Ona 
comparison of this singular animal with the true iguanas, the 
most striking and important discrepancy is in the form of the 
head. Instead of the long pointed narrow muzzle of those 
species, we have here a short obtusely truncated head, not so 
long as it is broad; the mouth consequently is capable of being 
opened to only a very small extent. From this circumstance, 
and from the crest on its head, it has received the Latin name 
of Amblyrhynchus cristatus. 
The serpent race, which thrives so abundantly in the tropical 
forests and morasses, has also its marine representatives in the 
Indian and Pacific Oceans, where more than fifty species of. 
Hydrophis, Pelamys, and Chersydra have been found. They 
are distinguished from their terrestrial relations by the flattened 
form of their tail, the planes of which being directed vertically 
give it the properties of a powerful oar, in strik- 
ing the water by lateral oscillations. These sea- 
snakes always appear to prefer calms, swimming 
on the still surface in an undulating manner, 
never raising the head much from the surface, 
or vaulting out of the water. They dive with 
facility on the approach of danger, but do not 
appear to be particularly timid. 
The Pelamys bicolor is very common from 
India to Otaheite. In the seas of Mindoro and 
Sooloo, Mr. Adams saw thousands swimming on the top of the 
water, especially in eddies and tide-ways where the ripple 
collects numerous fish and medusz, which principally constitute 
their prey. Their tongue is white and forked, differing in 
O 
Water-Snake, 
