256 _ Say on Herpetology. 
ZOOLOGY. 
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Arr. X. Notes on Herpetology, by Tuomas Say, of Philadelphia. 
(Communicated by the Author.) 
Auruoven I have not devoted « particular study to this 
- department of the science of nature, yet I have been amused 
and ingtructed by casually observing many of the subjects of it, 
when I have been rambling in their native haunts, pursuing: ob- 
jects more particularly interesting to me. 
_ But when perusing, the other day, the account of the coppel- 
head of our country, by Mr. Rafinesque, I was impelled teal 
for information on the subject, through your useful publication, 
in which that account appeared, and to make, at the same eee 
afew miscellaneous remarks or notes. These are in part ur 
cluded in the present essay, and if they should have a tendency 
to incite attention to the reptilia of the United States, at preset” 
in a state of confusion and incertitude, some portion of oe 
will be rendered to the great cause of science. es ’ 
I think that a moderate degree of labor and observat gga 2 
stowed upon the investigation of the species already desi” 
would prove the unity in nature of some species whi 
been considered as distinct by all the authors, would el oe 
many errors in observation, expose some deceptions prac” 
on credulity by the designing, and would enable us to fix, with 
some degree of accuracy, our knowledge of truth and of the 
species. * * ' J 
A work devoted particularly to this class, by some one ade- 
quate to the task, who could have in his view all the know? 
species, is indeed a desideratum. = 
Scytale cupreus, Copper-head, &c. of Mr. Rafinesque- 1 . 
always considered the Copper-head to be no other a 
Cenchris mockeson of authors, and Boa contortrix of Lann, ™ 
