366 On Water Snakes, Sea Snakes, and Sea Serpents. 



stood on the water in flexuous hillocks, and went through it with 

 impetuous noise. This appears to be the largest on record, and 

 might well be called Pelamis monstrosus ; but if there are other 

 species of equal size, it must be called then Pelamis chloronotis, 

 or Green-back Pelamis. 



5. Dr. Samuel Mitchill has exhibited to the Lyceum of Natural 

 History, at the sitting of the 15th September, the specimen of a 

 species of Sea Snake from his museum, sent him some years ago 

 from Guadaloupe, by Mr. Ricord de Mariana, which appears to 

 be another species belonging to the genus Enhydris, to which the 

 name of Enhydris annularis maybe given: we shall add its de- 

 finition and description. 



Enhydris annularis. Ringed Enhydris. Whitish, ringed with 

 black, rings broader on the back, which is cinereous and rather 

 angular in the middle; tail broad, short, obtuse, with 70 pairs of 

 scales underneath ; more than 200 pairs of abdominal scales. 

 This animal is about IS inches long, covered with smooth and 

 roundish scales above: the head is depressed, obtuse, small, co- 

 vered with similar scales, and nearly black ; the lips are while ; 

 a white half ring sets on the nape of the neck, and extends on 

 each side over the eyes ; a black line connects the eyes with the 

 nostrils ; an oblong white band lies below the head, longitu- 

 dinally; the nostrils are round; the mouth is small, and with 

 a few small teeth ; the body is cylindrical, but the back is slightly 

 carinated towards its centre, and of an ash colour ; the black 

 rings are narrow underneath. The tail is only two inches long, 

 very compressed; the extremity is broader, obtuse, tipped with 

 white, and has a slight lateral angle on each side, or a protruding 

 lateral nerve ; a similar appearance is perceptible on the upper 

 and lower edges, which appear to be thickened ; the whole tail 

 is covered with large scales of a transverse and broad shape. This 

 snake is found in the West Indies, in the sea, particularly on the 

 shores of the island of Guadaloupe. 



6. A fabulous account of a great Water Snake, that, according 

 to the Indian tradition, dwelt in ancient times in a lake near Phi- 

 ladelphia, may be seen in Dr. Barton's Medical and Physical 

 Journal, vol. ii. p. 168. As another Indian tradition, relating to 

 the mammoth, the megalona, &:c. it may be partly founded on 

 truth. 



7. The great Sea Snake has been seen again towards the mid- 

 dle of September, in the bay of Massachusetts, and three yellow 

 collars observed on his neck, which has led some to believe it 

 might be another individual and species ; but this circumstance 

 might have been overlooked before. It is not stated whether it 

 had streaks of a lighter hue on the body, as the first was repre- 

 sented 



