2l6 



SNAKES. 



few representatives of the moon-snakes are confined to South America; the 

 species here figured (Scytole coronatum) being an inhabitant of the eastern side 

 of that continent. In size this snake is comparatively small, measuring only 

 about 2 feet in length ; its distinctive characteristic being that on the hinder 

 portion of the body, or anterior part of the tail, the middle row of scales are not 

 greatly enlarged. In young individuals the ground-colour is red, with a dark 

 brown circular spot on the back of the head, another on the crown, and a ring on 

 the neck, behind which are smaller spots of the same colour. With age the colour 

 darkens, and the markings disappear, till in the adult the upper surface is black, 

 and the lower side white. Very common in the neighbourhood of Bahia, this 

 snake, like the other members of the subfamily, is almost exclusively nocturnal ; 

 and its food consists solely of lizards. Although their fangs are large, it appears 

 that these reptiles never attack human beings. 



CAT-SNAKE (| nat. size). 



As one of the few European representatives of the group under 

 consideration, reference may be made to the so-called cat-snake 

 (Tarbophis vivax), which is the sole member of its genus. It is characterised by 

 its spindle-shaped body, the clear distinction between the flattened head and the 

 neck, the relatively short tail, and the small size of the eyes. In place of a lower 

 preocular shield, the elongated loreal extends backwards to the eye, so as to come 

 in contact with the upper preocular ; this arrangement being unknown in any other 

 European snake. In the lower jaw the front teeth are much longer and more bent 

 than those which follow ; while the fangs in the hinder part of the upper jaw are 

 also elongated and much curved. Sometimes reaching a little over a yard in length 

 this snake is of a dirty brownish yellow or grey ground-colour, with small black 



