REPTILES REQUIEM. 



849 



7?ort r-nnina, the South American Boa. PI. IS. f. 24. Head 

 large, body given, with transverse undulated white dorsal 

 bands ; I'our feet long. Inhabits South America. 



In tliis genus are included the largest serpents, some of 

 which reach from thirty to forty feet in length. See article 

 Boa. 



Erix. Head provided with nine large plates; teeth small 

 and pointed; a longitudinal row of scales larger than the 

 others, under the bojy and tail. 



Erpeton. Head provided with large plates, and two soft 

 prominences, covered with scales, situate at the extremity of 

 the muzzle ; abdominal plates smaller than th"sc of the head, 

 mid UIOM- placed under the tail somewhat different from the 

 other si-ales. 



(3.) Shields under the tail ranged in pain. 



Viithon. Head furnished with large and numerous plate? ; 

 ventral plates narrow ; anal opening provided with lateral 

 hooks. 



Hurria. Under the extremity of the tail are a double row 

 of longitudinal plates; the other parts of the body with one 

 only. 



Dipsas. Body compressed, not so broad as the head; scales 

 on tlic ridge of the back larger than the others. 



Coluber. Head depressed provided with nine larger plates; 

 teeth nearly equal ; destitute of poison fanjrs; abdomen with 

 transverse plates, divided into two under the tail, or furmi nr 

 n double row. 



Dryinus. Upper jaw much lontrer than the lower j ros- 

 trum very narrow, more or less acute at the apex, which in 

 some species is distinctly mucronate and moveable. 



Leptophis. Violet changing to green, gilded ; a lateral and 

 dorsal line of a paler hue ; head obtuse. 



Acrochordus. Mouth provided with two rows of teeth ; 

 body greatly thicker than the tail ; body and tail invested 

 with small uniform tuberculous scales. 



(4.) Serpents provided with Poison Fangt. 



The teeth in this section are fewer in number in the exte- 

 rior row, than in the preceding section; the first of these teeth 

 is larger than the others, it is hollow and conducts the poison 

 from the sac into the wound. 



Pseudaboa. Head short, covered with large plates; occi- 

 put somewhat prominent ; back carinated with a longitudinal 

 row of broader scales; plates of the abdomen under the tail 

 single. 



Trimeresurus. Head furnished with large plates ; the 

 plates which are under the tail, and near the anal opening, 

 single ; and with double plates near the extremity of the tail. 



Hydrophis. Head small not tumid, covered with large 

 plates ; a series of scales on the abdomen somewhat larger 

 than the others ; tail compressed. 



Pelamit. Occiput tumid, occasioned by the length of the 

 pedicles of the lower jaw, which is very dilatable ; head and 

 abdomen with larger plates ; those on the sides of the body- 

 small and equal ; tail compressed. 



Chersydrus. Head and body covered equally with scales ; 

 posterior part of the body and tail compressed. 



(5.) With itolated Fangs. 



Crotalnt. Head broad, triangular and depressed; scales 

 curinated; tongue forked ; a hollow behind the nostrils; the 

 upper maxillary bones provided with isolated fangs ; platus 

 or transverse bands under the body and tail ; extremity of the 

 tail furnished with a ratte, formed of hollow, moveable, and 

 sonorous plates. 



Crotalus horridus, the Common Rattlesnake. PI. 78. f. 23. 

 Body brown, witli transverse irregular biackish bands ; ex- 

 tremity of the tail black. From four to six feet long. Inha- 

 bits America. See article Kattlesnake. 



Scytalus. Upper jaw furnished with poisonous fangs ; 

 destitute of hollows behind the nostrils; body and tail below 

 with a s-eries of transverse plates ; tail devoid of a rattle. 



slcanthophis. Upper jaw furnished with poisonous fangs ; 

 back part <>f the head tumid, and provided with scales similar 

 to those of the back; no hollows behind the nostrils ; tail 

 with a double row of plates at its tip, and terminated by a 

 pointed spur. 



Limgaha. Muzzle long and pointed, and the upper jaw 

 provided with poisonous fangs; bn dy anteriorly covered with 

 small sea es above ; plates behind the anal opening surround- 

 ing the tail ; towards the end of the tail the scales are 

 small. 



(C-.'j Abdomen trith Transverse Plates, divided into two under 

 the Tail. 



Trigonocephalus. Head widened behind, in some species 

 covered with scales similar to those of the back, in others 

 granulated, with depressions behind the nostrils; upper jaw 

 provided with poison fangs; tail frequently terminated by a 

 email horny spur. 



Platavrus. Head covered with larger plates, and provided 

 with poison fangs in the upper jaw ; tail compressed, furnished 

 with two rows of plates, and two larger ones at its ter- 



Naia. ' Head covered with large plates, and the hind head 

 provided with a hood ; upper jaw with poisonous fangs ; plates 

 larger on the body than the head. 

 V. 



Flaps. Back part of the head the same breadth as the neok. 

 and covered wholly with large plates ; jaws with poison fangs, 

 which are incapable of much dilatation. 



Cobra. Head from the eyes to the month of a snbtriangu- 

 lar shape; scales on the head cariuated, upper jaw with 

 poisonous fangs. 



I'ipera. Scales on the head rough or granulated ; and the 

 upper jaw provided with poisonous fangs ; abdominal plmtes 

 divided in two under the tail. 



FAMILY III. NAKKO SERPENTS. 



Cecilia. Eyes extremely small; body cylindrical, ckin 

 naked, with longitudinal folds. 



ORDER IV. BATRACHIA. 



Heart with one auricle ; body covered with naked skin ; 

 luiii>s two, in the mature condition, but provided with bran- 

 chin', like fishes, in their early state. 



Rana.. Upper jaw provided with a row of small teeth, and 

 an interrupted transverse one in the middle of the paiate; 

 body slender ; hind feet very long, muscular, and completely 

 palmated; males furnished with a thin membrane under the 

 ear which is inflated with air when they cry. 



Rana tuurina, the Bull Frog. PI. 78. f. 21. Body olive 

 green, spotted with black ; back with a yellow line along its 

 centre. Inhabits North America. 



Hyla. Tongue short and thick ; male with a gular pouch, 

 capable of inflation ; body slightly compressed, elongated, and 

 smooth ; the two fore feet provided with four toes, the hinder 

 ones xvith five, all of them destitute of claws, but terminated 

 by lenticular tubercles. 



"Bufo. Head furnished with a thick projection behind the 

 ears ; destitute of teeth ; eyes large and protruding : body 

 thick, short, and broad, covered with warts, which exude a 

 fetid fluid ; four feet, furnished with four toes, which are dis- 

 tinctly separated; hind feet short, and witli five generally 

 palmated toes. 



Bufo fuscus, the Brown Toad. PI. 78. f. 22. Body of a 

 clear, brown colour marbled with deep brown, approaching 

 to black; tubercles not numerous, the size of lentils; abdo- 

 men smooth ; hind feet provided with elongated palmated 

 toes. Inhabits Germany. 



Pipa. Head large and triangular ; destitute of a tongue ; 

 tympanum concealed under the skin ; eyes small, and placed 

 towards the margin of the upper jaw ; body compressed ; toes 

 of the fore feet cleft into four small points ; larynx of the male 

 very long and triangular. 



Salamandra. Head depressed ; ears concealed, and with 

 a small cartilaginous plate upon the opening ; jaws provided 

 with numerous small teeth, and two series of similar teeth on 

 the palate; tongue, short, thick, and fixed in the lower jaw ; 

 destitute of a third eye-lid ; fore feet with four toes and hiud 

 feet with five. See Salamander. 

 This genus is divided into sections : 



1. Terrestial. Tail rounded in the adult state. 



2. Aquatic. Tail compressed. 



Proteus. Head provided with excessively small eyes, which 

 are concealed by the skin ; tongue short, thick, and free be- 

 fore only ; body elongated, cylindrical ; tail compressed ; fore 

 feet with three toes ; hind feet with two, and all destitute of 

 claws . provided with interior lungs, and persistant branchiae. 



Proteus anguinus. the Proteus. PI. 78. f. 20. Branchiae of 

 a bright red or carmine hue; body smooth, grayish white; 

 tail compressed ; about twelve inches long. 



This is the only species of the genus, and has several re- 

 markable peculiarities. Besides being furnished with lungs, 

 it has three tufted branchiae on each side, which it seems to 

 retain through life. The skeleton is nearly allied to that of 

 the salamander, but is provided with more" numerous verte- 

 brae ; and the general form of the cranium is considerably 

 different. It inhabits dark subterraneous streams, in Carneola ; 

 and is the only animal known to exist in such situations. See 

 article Proteus. 



Siren. Provided with a short thick adherent tongue ; hav- 

 ing both persistant branchiae and interior lungs ; body elon- 

 gated, cylindrical, and furnished with a compressed tail ; it has 

 two feet only, which are placed forwards on the body, each 

 provided with four toes. 



Siren lacertina, the Siren. PI. 78 f. 19. Eyes small ; no 

 external ear; under jaw with teeth all around, and several 

 rows on each side of the palate ; body much elongated, black- 

 ish and spotted, resembling that of an eel. From two to three 

 feet long. Inhabits the marshes of South Carolina. 



There is but one species of this remarkable genus ; which 

 like the Proteus, retains during its life, three free branchial 

 tufts, situate on each side of the neck. While it has at the 

 same time lungs tor breathing, formed in the ordinary manner. 

 See article Siren. 



REPUBLICS. See Political Institutions, and 

 Politics. 



REPULSE BAY. See Xortk Polar Expeditions. 



REQUETES. See Maitre. 



REQUIEM, in the Roman Catholic church; a 

 solemn musical mass for the deceased, which begins 

 3 H 



