LECTURE VII. 4i 



The genus Anguis is distinguished by being 

 uniformly covered with scales of a similar form in 

 all parts, and commonly with very small scales. 

 The common English Slowworm, the Anguis Fra- 

 gilis of -Linnaeus, is an example of this genus, 

 and is perfectly innocent, though vulgar prejudice 

 still imagines its bite to be fatal, Many of the 

 Indian and American Serpents of this genus are 

 highly beautiful animals. 



The genus called Amphisbcena is distinguished 

 by having the body surrounded by complete rings 

 of small square scales. The species are very few, 

 and are perfectly innocent. 



Lastly the genus Cacilia is characterized by 

 being only marked along the sides by a kind of 

 semicircular wrinkles. These Serpents are also 

 innocent. 



I have before observed that the genera of Ser- 

 pents have been lately increased by the formation 

 of some new ones. Of these I shall only mention 

 the genus Hydrus or Water-Snake, a true and 

 proper genus, and easily distinguished by the 

 flattened form of the tail, which is in some species 

 compressed vertically ; in others horizontally. In 

 point of general appearance these Snakes resemble 



