Miscellaneous, 389 



The Collared Snahe (Coluber natrix) in the Sea, 

 By Dr. J. E. Gray, F.E.S. 



It has been stated by several persons that Sea-SnaJces are some- 

 times fonnd in the European seas, and even on Euglish coasts, as far 

 north as the Orkneys, their appearance in the latter locality being 

 accounted for by their having been carried there by the Gulf-stream, 

 "which might perhaps happen with some American species ; but the 

 specimens shown to me have all been the common Collared Snake 

 (Coluber natrix), and I have been inclined to doubt the accuracy of 

 the statements, as they were not well authenticated, and on exami- 

 nation were generally found to have come through two or more 

 persons before they reached me. The other day the Secretary of the 

 Montrose Natural History Society showed me a specimen of Coluber 

 7iatrLv which was taken up in a bucket in the sea, about twenty-five 

 miles from the Naze on the coast of Norway. It lived some time 

 aboard, and arrived alive at Montrose and was there put in spirits. 



This Snake is aquatic in its habits, often found in ponds and 

 ditches, where it goes to catch frogs, fish, &c. It has no near rela- 

 tion to what are usually called Sea-Snakes (HydridcB) . This Colu- 

 ber may have been washed down by the floods into the sea, as the 

 Boas are said by Guilding to be in the West Indies. 



On the Jaw of CylindreUa. By T. Bland. 



42 Pine Street, New York, 12th October, 1868. 



My Deak Sir, — I have lately made an unlooked-for discovery, 

 which I announce to you, to whom all are so much indebted for 

 labours with reference to classification. 



I find that CylindreUa, as well as Macroceramvs, has a jaw, in 

 both of much the same character. Lately I received several species 

 either alive or in glycerine ; and immersion in a solution of caustic 

 potash enabled me with comparative ease to detect the jaw. Being 

 very minute and delicate, I do not wonder at this having escaped 

 notice. I had previously examined dead and dried-up specimens 

 only of the CylindreUa -Maugei group. 



I have both jaws and lingual bands of 



CylindreUa sanguinea, Pf. C. gracilis, Wood. Jamaica. 



Jamaica. C. Maugei, Wood. Jamaica. 



C. rosea, Pf. Jamaica. C. trinitaria, n. sp. Trinidad. 



C. brevis, Pf. Jamaica. C. bahamensis, n. sp. New 



C. elongata, Ch. Jamaica. Providence. 



I shall publish this with figures ; meantime I take pleasure in in- 

 forming you, as I have Dr. Pfeiffer, through Mr. Crosse. 



I am, my dear Sir, 

 Dr. John E. Gray, Very truly yours, 



British Museum, T. Bland. 



RemarJcs on the Development of Marine Fishes. By G. 0. Sars. 



It has long been supposed that the codfish deposit their ova at 

 the bottom of the sea. M. G. 0. Sars has recently shown that this 



