SERPENTS. 



syy 



than has been commonly imagined. Some ser- 

 pents, as the Boa, Python, Tortryx, and Eryx, 

 have claws, which may be considered as rudi- 

 ments of feet, visible externally. In others, as the 

 Afiguis, Typhlops, and Amphisbcena, they exist 

 concealed under the skin. In others, he has dis- 

 covered cartilaginous filaments, which, he con- 

 ceives, correspond to these parts.* 



In the conformation of the skull and bones of 

 the face. Serpents present strong analogies with 

 batrachian reptiles, and also with fishes, one tribe 

 of which, namely, the apodous or anguiliform fishes, 



* Some of these rudimental parts are represented in the following 

 figures. Fig. 203 exhibits the claw of the Boa constrictor, placed 



203 



209 



at the termination of a series of bones, representing very imperfectly 

 the bones of the lower extremities. Fig. 204 shows the muscles 

 attached to these small bones. The three following figures, 205, 

 206, and 207, represent the claws and rudimental bones of the 

 Tortrix scytale, Tortrix corallinus, and Anguis fragilis, respec- 

 tively. Those of the Amphisbcena alba, Fig. 208, and the Coluber 

 p'dlatus, Fig. 209, are still less developed. The Chalcides, or 

 snake-lizard, which has four minute feet, is represented in Fig. 210. 

 (Ann. des Sc. Nat. vii. 170.) 



