////. v/7/.l. I /.>//( A/ LSfl 



tli. . xistenoe of any perceptible odor in the Snake's breath. It is very j**wible that 

 the i-estilent and most li..nil-l.- odor which can be emitted by many Snakes when they are 

 iniuit.il. may have Ut-n mistaken fnr ll ..f the breath. This evil odor, howev. 



pn.duc.-d f rom a substance Mnted in certain glands near the tail, ami has n.> . -onnection with 

 th- breath. 



Tin- mlor of the Anaconda is rich bn-w n . two rows of large round blurk spot* run a loin; 

 ili.- back, and each side is decorated with a series of light golden yellow rings edged with >l.--p 

 black. 



ONK or two members of this family are worthy of a passing notice. The w. -II known 

 \ i i i.ow SNAKK of Jamaica (Chilabothi -us inormitns) is allied rather closely to the boa and 

 the anaconda. It is a rather handsome reptile, being of an olive-green ii|Min the head and 

 tint juirt of the body, covered with a multitude of little I. lack lines, drawn obliquely across 

 the body. The hinder irt of the body is Muck. spott-d with yellowish olive. 



ANOTHER member of this family, the CORAL SNAKE (Turtris trytale) is a well-known 

 inliabitant of Tropical America, and is feared or i-t;.-d by the natives, according to the 

 locality in which it happens to reside. In some parts of the country. th> native women, 

 knowing it to be JH rf.-<-tlv harmless, ami being pleased with the bold contrast of black and 

 pale gold which decorate ita surface, an- in the h:d it of taming it and of placing it round their 

 necks in lieu of a necklace. In other parts of the country, however, the natives believe it to 

 be terribly ]>oisonous. and flee from its presence with terror. 



It live- chielly on insects, worms, and caterpillars, and is very timid. This creature does 

 not taper HO gradually from the middle of the body to the tail as is usual in most Serpent-. 

 but is nearly of the same cylindrical form throughout its length. The ground color of this 

 Serpent is pale yellow, decorated with jetty-black rinirs, aUmt sixty in numU-r, that an- 

 drawn irregularly over its .surface. The Coral Snake n.-ver grows to any great size, and 

 seldom reaches two feet and a half in length. 



COLUBRINJE. 



\\ i now come to another section of the Serpents, termed COLITBRIIC^ the members of 

 which are known by the broad, band-like plates of the nMonieM. the shielded head, the 

 conioil tail, and the teeth of both jaws. Some of them are harmless and unfurnished with 

 fangs, whereas some are extremely venomous and are furnished with i>oison-fangs in the 

 upper jaw. These, however, do not fold down like those of the vijier and rattlesnake, but 

 remain perfectly erect. The formation of the fangs again differ*, in the various species. In 

 some the fang is grooved for the introduction of poison into the wound, whereas in others it it* 

 perforated nearly throughout its length. 



As an example of the first family of these Serpents, we may take the common BROWN 

 SNAKK of America (Conocephalii >/*). 



This reptile is quite harmless, and is plentiful in many ]>ortions of America, having rather 

 a wide range of locality. Although common, it is not con-pi. -nous, for its small dimensions, 

 its -ombre hue, and its retiring habits serve to conceal it from the general gaze. It is usually 

 found hiding under the Uirk of trees, in stone heaps, or among the crevices of rocky ground, 

 choosing those localities U-cause it feeds principally on insect prey, and can find abundance of 

 food in such places. Its color is grayish brown above and white below. It is a small species, 

 rarely reaching eleven inch,-- in length. 



TIIK large family of the Coronellil;e contains many curious Serpents, among which may 

 be mentioned the well-known Sm \\i- -in KI i: of Siuthern Africa. 



This Snake has a rather wide range >f country. U-inir spread over nearly the who!.- ..f 

 Southern Africa, and very common at the Cape of Good Hope. It is a handsome little 



