PROCEEDINGS OF METROPOLITAN SOCIETIES. 151 
tains, although Mr. Hodgson, who formerly held a similar opinion, 
had since resolved what he described as two Himmalayan species of 
Ovis intoone. Dr. Canter then read an interesting communication 
on the Marine Serpents of India, a group of animals which had 
hitherto received but slight attention on the part of naturalists, in 
consequence, perhaps, of the danger which attended the study of 
them in the living state, together with their geographical distribu- 
tion, which is confined to the tropical seas. They were stated to be 
very numerous around the delta of the Ganges, where they are com- 
monly taken in the fishermen’s nets. Their anatomy, with the 
modifications it presented in reference to aquatic habits, was then 
given in detail. All of them were described to be, without excep- 
tion, highly venomous ; a fact denied by Schlegel, who asserted 
that they are all harmless, which erroneous upinion is even very 
current in India. The fact, however, was lamentably proved by 
the recent death of a British naval officer from the bite of one of 
these reptiles, and various experiments instituted by Dr. Canter on 
different animals with their venom, shewed it to be exceedingly 
virulent. They prey chiefly upon fishes. 
Juxiy 24th.—A stuffed specimen of a common fowl was exhibited, 
which had been sent from India, and on the comb of which had 
been engrafted the spur of one of its legs, the corneous portion of 
which had grown to a considerable length, in consequence of being 
placed nearer to the centre of circulation. Mr. Owen remarked upon 
the fact as possessing much interest in a physiological point of view, 
and stated that John Hunter had succeeded in similarly engrafting 
a human tooth upon the comb of a fowl, the theory of the attach- 
ment of which he took occasion to explain. Mr. Martin then de- 
scribed and named several new species of ophidian reptiles, which 
he severally designated Coluber canteri, a species from India, Her- 
petodryas panctifer, from Antigua, and Vipera euphratia, Columa- 
ria? fasciata, Psammophus pulcher, Calamaria modesta, and Natrix 
inornata, brought home by the conductors of the Euphrates Expe- 
dition. 
Aue. 14.—The Rev. Dr. Bachman, of Philadelphia, exhibited an 
extensive assortment of North American Squirrels, of which he 
distinguished fifteen species, several of them further presenting a 
number of local varieties. The first, the well-known Sciurus capis- 
tratus, was stated to be extremely variable, a fact illustrated by a 
series of specimens ; and it appeared that three distinct species had 
hitherto been confounded under the S. cinereus of systematists, for 
two of which were proposed the appellations Jeucotis and carolinen- 
sis. There were also three black species, distinguished by the 
names, niger, audubonii, fuliginosus ; and the remainder consisted 
of the S. nigrescens of Bennet, §. macrourus, californicus, subau- 
ratus (described for the first time), collet (a notice of which would 
appear in the forthcoming account of Captain Beechey’s voyage), 
hudsonicus, laniginosus, and richardsonii, the two last of which 
were also new. The general characters and habits of these ani 
