Sea Snakes, and Sea Serpents. 363 



Varied with many transverse cones, blue, white, red, green, and 

 black. Many species are probably meant here. 



6. Sp. Ophinectes macidalus, Raf. Spotted Ophinectes. Co- 

 vered with many irregular large spots. Many species. 



7. Sp. Ophinectes pimctaius, Raf. Dotted Ophinectes. Co- 

 vered with numberless small dots. Many species. 



8. Sp. Ophinectes erythrocephalus, Raf. Red-headed Ophi- 

 nectes. Head of a beautiful red; body * * * *. 



9. Sp. Ophinectes dorsalis, Raf. Backed Ophinectes. Dark 

 green with large spots of yellow and light green on the back ; 

 length three or four feet; near Devvitt's Land. 



10. Sp. Ophinectes major, Raf. Large Ophinectes. Green 

 spotted with red and brown. Length from eight to ten feet; 

 also from the shores of Dewitt's Island. 



This last species appears to be the largest real Sea Snake which 

 has fallen under the personal observation of naturalists as yet. 

 But larger species still have been noticed at different periods. If 

 I had the time and opportunity of perusing all the accounts of 

 travellers and historians, I could probably bring many into notice; 

 but this tedious labour must be postponed, and I must warn those 

 who may be inclined to inquire into the subject, not to be de- 

 ceived by the imperfect and exaggerated accounts of ancient or 

 unknown writers. Whenever they mention neither the scales nor 

 tail of their Sea Serpents, or when they assert they had no scales, 

 or had gills or fins, you must in all those instances be certain that 

 they are real fishes rather than serpents. There might, however, 

 be found some Sea Snakes without scales, since there are such 

 land snakes; and there fishes with scales and yet without fins : 

 but there are no fishes without gills, and no snakes or serpents 

 with gills! — in that important character the classical distinction 

 consists. 



Nearly all the writers whom I can remember, have been un- 

 acquainted with that obvious distinction ; and they have, in imi- 

 tation of the ancient Greek and Roman writers, given the name 

 of Sea Snakes to the large eels or fishes they hapjiened to ob- 

 serve. This I apprehend is the case with Pontopjjidan, in his 

 Natural History of Norway; with Mongitore, in his Remarkable 

 Objects of Sicily; with Leguat, in hisTravels to Rodriguez Island, 

 Sec. Their observations, and the facts they record, are notwith- 

 standing equally valualjle, since they relate to monstrous unknown 

 fishes, which seldom fall under the observation of men. The in- 

 dividuals of huge species are not numerous in nature, either on 

 land or in water ; and it is probable tiiey often become extinct 

 for want of food or reproduction. 



Among the four different animals which have lately been ob- 



ser\ed 



