508 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1 682-3. 



more numerous than on the other; but it is impossible to represent the curious 

 interweavings of both ; but here in the under side of the right kidney in some 

 places they appeared more distinct; for (QQ, %. 2.) shows the large blood 

 vessel, whence arise the emulgents (r, r, r, fig. 2.) which, spreading themselves 

 very thick into the bodies (s, s, s, fig. 2.), make them appear all bloody, between 

 which for a little space there appears a small body of the white secretory vessels 

 (t, t, t, fig. 2.) 



The ureters ran almost the length of the kidneys : being a common trunk 

 that received the lesser branches that went to each single gland (it is in part re- 

 presented by the letters (v. v. fig. 2. ), and both terminated near each other in 

 the cloaca, making a rising there; for our rattle-snake, like birds, had a cloaca, 

 which in the female viper receives the orifices of the ureters, and the two uteri; 

 and in part it may be said that of the rectum too, which yet had a convenient 

 valve that covered it. 



Near the verge of the cloaca, we observed two other orifices which seemed 

 covered by the folding of the skin, and these led into those two bags (fig. 2, m, m,) 

 which I have taken the liberty to call the scent-bags. Charas is much mistaken, 

 who supposes them to be the parastatae or conservatories of the seed, as likewise 

 those he would refute that would have them to be other testicles : and I the 

 more wonder at this his mistake, since he could not but have observed them, as 

 I have, in the female vipers too; which sufficiently shows his error. One of 

 them was about an inch long, and as big as a goose quill, but taper towards the 

 end, and from the colour of the liquor it contained, appeared darkish ; the other 

 bag was something less, and its colour as in the viper; this difference I suppose 

 may be accidental : the liquor included in them was something crass, and of a 

 strong and very unpleasant smell ; such, but in a more intense degree, as the 

 animal emitted before dissection ; which Martial likewise takes notice of, having 

 placed it in the last but one in his catalogue of stinks. L. 4. Epigr. 4. And 

 De Laet * makes mention of some snakes in the West Indies, that stink worse 

 than any fox or pole-cat. 



We now come to the organs of generation : and I find that Charas is as un- 

 happy in the description of some of them, as he was in his conjecture about 

 that part we call the scent-bag. We shall begin with that, wherein the seed is 

 first made, the testes, (fig. 2. h, h,) which are very unproportionate in length; 

 the right being 2i inches long, the left but 1-^ inch long, scarcely so big in com- 

 pass as a goose-quill. The unequal length of this part Charas takes notice of in 

 vipers. I shall add, that the ovarium of the female viper is the same; for that 



* Hist. Indiae Occident. 1. 15. c. 6. p. 555. — Orig. 



