ISO A neu- genus of ^tipeiitii, ^'c. 



The apenare already meniioned between the eyes and nos- 

 trils would assimilate it to the genus Trigonocejihalus of Oppel, 

 but in that case we should disregard the arrangement of the 

 plates altogether. His Trigonoccphalus ammodytes has, accord- 

 ing to Daudin, only subcaudal scuta. I have never seen the 

 Ti lanceolatns nor T. tigrimcs of Oppel ; but I am very fami- 

 liar with one which, Oppel says, must belong to his genus Tri- 

 gonocephalus. Speaking of the Heterodon of Palisot de Beau- 

 vois, which has no venomous fangs, and has the subcaudal 

 plates exactly as the genus Coluber, he says, ^^ ce genre par oit, 

 de preference sur tout les autrcs, etre essentieUcrnent caractcrise ; 

 je ne kasardirai cependant point d^en decider ahsolvmcnt., n'ayant 

 jamais pu yarvenir a en voi? tin individu ; mai fai Irouvt 

 dans la collection de Paris une especc qui reyondoit cntiere- 

 ment, tant a la description, qn^a la figure, mais ce seroit pour 

 Lors vn trigonocephalus mihi, et on aurait mal defini les deux 

 dents venimeuses tres avanceesy (Annal. du Mus. torn. xvi. p. 

 270.) If the description of the Heterodon can be made appli- 

 cable to an individual w^hich is a Trigonocephalus, then cer- 

 tainly the Acontias mihi cannot be a Trigonocephalus. 



The Acontias leucostoma is always found near, or in 

 water, and in swampy places. I do not know whether it occurs 

 in any other part than the western district of Tennessee. It is 

 not as peaceable as the rattlesnake, which does not bite except 

 when irritated, and in self-defence, or to procure food ; but the 

 A. leucostoma attacks every thing that comes within its reach, 

 putting itself in an erect posture, with its mouth wide open ', 

 which being white, and the outside of the head brown, looks 

 like a pod of cotton newly opened ; from which circumstance 

 it has obtained the name of cotton-mouth snake. Its bite is 

 considered dangerous, nevertheless it is often cured. The 

 Indian, when bitten by a cotton-mouth, abandons all hope of 

 recovering — rolls himself up in his blanket, and lies down and 

 dies. 



