2576 SCALED REPTILES 



their coloration to such a mode of life. Although they resemble the 

 s climbing snakes in possessing equal-sized solid teeth, they differ in the 

 larger eye, which may be of very great size, their distinctly compressed and more 

 slender body, and the small number of its longitudinal rows of scales, which does 

 not exceed from ten to twelve. The five known species are inhabitants of the West 

 Indies and the forest districts of Central and South America, all being characterized 

 by their more or less uniform olive-green coloration. In the forests of Brazil, the 

 Guianas and Venezuela, as well as in the Lesser Antilles, lives the sipo or Brazilian 

 wood snake (Herpetodryas carinatus}^ which we select as a well-known example of 



SIPO OR BRAZILIAN WOOD SNAKE. 



(One-fourth natural size.) 



the genus. Frequently attaining a length of about seven feet, and remarkably 

 beautiful in coloration, this snake generally has the upper parts of a bright verditer 

 or olive green, shot with a tinge of brown on the back, while the under parts are 

 greenish or bright yellow, the greenish hue prevailing in the middle of the body, 

 and the yellow elsewhere. Throughout there is a shimmering play of colors of all 

 shades of green passing into metallic brown, while the middle line of the back 

 has a brighter longitudinal streak, frequently bordered on each side by a darker 

 band. In the West Indies this species undergoes a remarkable change of hue, 

 becoming blackish brown or black above, with the under parts steel gray, the upper 



