Zoological Society. 27 1 



some districts extensive fields of gravel. On reaching the central 

 parts of the county (in which the author included the neighbourhood 

 for several miles round Chelmsford), there is a rich black mould, with 

 here and there spots of clay and gravel, but no chalk. The extreme 

 west consists, in addition to many fertile spots, of gravel as well as 

 alluvial clay, and in those parts bordering on the Thames, as Pur- 

 fleet, Thurrock, &c., the chalk predominates. Though it is well known 

 that the Orchis tribe more especially delight in a calcareous soil, yet 

 Mr. W. found them in all the varied habitats which the county pre- 

 sents, from the light rich soil to the loam and chalk. The author had 

 found the following : Orchis moris. Orchis mascula, Orchis pyrami- 

 dalis. Orchis ustulata, and Orchis latifolia. 



A paper was read from Mr. W. H. White* " On the genus Poten- 

 tilla and Tormentilla." 



ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



February 26, 1839.— The Rev. F. W. Hope in the Chair. 

 A paper, entitled " Spicilegium Serpentium Indicorum," was 

 communicated by Dr. Theodore Cantor. This paper contains the 

 following descriptions of 



A. Venomous Serpents f. 

 Genus Trigonocephalus, Oppel. 

 Trigonocephalus erythrurus. Tri. supra Icete viridis, squamis 

 ovatis carinatis subimbricatis, caudd cinnamomed, squamis Icevibus 

 rhoinboidalibus tectd ; abdomine Jlavo-viridescenti lined nigra 

 serratd utrinque incluso. 



Scuta abdomhtalia 167. 

 Scutella subcaudalia 68. 

 Habitat. Delta Gangeticum. 



Bright green above, with ovate keeled slightly imbricate scales ; 

 the tail cinnamon red, with smooth rhomboidal scales ; the abdominal 

 surface greenish-yellow, inclosed on both sides by a black serrated 

 line. 



Trigonocephalus mucrosquamatus. Tri. superne griseo-brun- 

 nescens, annulis nigris alba marginatis, squamis ovalibus^ semi- 

 carinatis mucronatis, imbricatim tectus ; subtus albidus, nigro 

 punctatus. 



Scuta abdominalia 218. 

 Scutella subcaudalia 91. 

 Habitat. Naga Hills, Assam. 



Brownish grey above, with black white-edged rings, covered with 

 oval, half- keeled, pointed, imbricate scales ; whitish beneath, dotted 

 with black. 



« See in p. 283 of the present Number a Note relative to Mr. W. H. 

 White and Dr. Westeudorp. 



t Dr. Cantor's original specimens, drawings, and descriptions are in the 

 possession of the Kadcliffe Library, Oxford. 



