BOID.-E. 



BOID.E. 



Head of Python jiwliirtis, seen from above. 







Head of the same. 

 a, upper part of the bead, seen from below ; It, the skull, seen in profile. 



3. Uwtidia. Upper and lower labial shields deeply pitted ; muzzle 

 and forehead with symmetrical shields ; nostrils lateral. There are 

 three species natives of Africa : 



II. Natalemis (Python Natalentis, Andrew Smith), the Natal Rock- 

 Snake. It has two pairs of front upper labial shields pitted, with two 

 or three supra-ocular shields. 



Dr. Andrew Smith, in his ' Illustrations of South Africa ' gives a 

 very beautiful figure of Python Natalmtii ; and he states that this 

 snake, or at least one resembling it in size, was formerly an inhabitant 

 of the districts now within the Cape Colony, and that the traditions 

 of the older Hottentots abound with instances of its miraculous 

 powers. "At present," he says, " it is not to be found within hundreds 

 of miles of the boundaries of the colony, and few specimens have been 

 obtained nearer than Port Natal." He informs us that it occasionally 

 attains a very large size, and according to the natives, individuals 

 have been seen whose circumference was equal to that of the body of 

 a stout man. Dr. Smith himself saw a skin which measured twenty-five 

 feet, though a portion of the tail part was deficient. " It feeds," he says, 

 " upon quadrupeds, and for some days after swallowing food it remains 

 in a torpid state, and may then be easily destroyed. The South 

 Africans however seldom avail themselves of ridding themselves of a 

 reptile they view with horror, as they believe that it has a certain 



influence over their destinies ; and affirm that no person has ever 

 been known to maltreat it without sooner or later paying for hia 

 audacity." 



Rock-SlKike (Python molitrtts}. 



II. Scbce (Coluber Seb<r, Gmelin, Python biviltatus, Kuhl), the 

 Guinea Rock-Snake and Fetish Snake, closely resembles the last in 

 many points of structure. It is a native of western Africa, and speci- 

 mens in the British Museum have been obtained from Ashantee, 

 Gambia, and the Gold Coast. There is a living specimen in the 

 Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, estimated to weigh one hundred- 

 weight. 



H. reyia (Boa regia, Shaw, Python regius, Durneril), the Royal 

 Rock-Snake, distinguished from the last two by the four pairs of 

 front upper labials being pitted, the supra-ocular plate single, the 

 lower labial shields broad, four. It is an inhabitant of Gambia, in 

 western Africa. It is of a black colour, marked on the middle of the 

 back with a series of oblong longitudinal white spots ; the sides with a 

 series of very large white spots, with one or two oblong black spots on 

 iheir upper part ; the head black, with a streak over the nostrils and 

 ;he top of the eyes, another from the lower edge of the eye ; the lips, 

 chin, and beneath white. 



4. lAnsia. Upper and lower labial shields pitted ; muzzle and space 

 Between the eyes shielded. This genus includes various species of 

 Python of other authors. Dr. Gray describes four : 



L. amethystiniis, the Liasis ; an inhabitant of New Ireland. 



L. Macklotii, Macklot's Liasis, an inhabitant of Timor and Samao. 

 Neither of these is in the British Museum. 



L. ChUdrenii, Children's Liasis, an inhabitant of North-Western 

 Australia. One specimen in the British Museum ia from Port 

 2asingtou. 



L. olivacea, the Lisalia, also a native of Australia. Specimens have 

 been brought from Port Essington and Sir Charles Hardy's Island. 



5. Nardoa. Lower labial shields pitted ; crown with eleven symmet- 

 ical shields. Of this genus there are two species, N. Schlegelii, the 



Nardoa of New Ireland, and N. Gilbert ii, Gilbert's Nardoa, a native 

 North Australia. 



6. Subcaudal plates entire, one-rowed ; intermaxillary or 



incisive teeth none ; supra-orbital bone none. 



* Scales smooth ; labial shields pitted. 



6. Epicratet. Forehead with symmetrical shields ; crown scaly. 

 ["he species are natives of America and the West Indies. 



. angulifer, the Pale-Headed Epicrates, is a native of Hayti. 



& Cenchria (Boa Cenchria, Liuiueus, Eunectei Aboma, Cuvier), the 



