418 Dr. Bancroft on Jamaican Fishes, &)C. 



plate of the Cerastes, in which however the pupil is not linear, but ellip- 

 tical, and acute at both ends, exactly as in Cats,) I regard this form as 

 curious and interesting, and I accordingly inclose for Mr. Bell a slight 

 sketch I made of it at the time, of the natural size, and with a note as to 

 the colours of the iris, that he may clearly understand my meaning, if he 

 should be induced, as I trust he will be, to give a coloured representation 

 of the Snake. One of the three specimens was in its brightest hues when 

 brought to me, for it appeared to have cast its skin just before, audit 

 was really a showy and handsome Serpent; and as I have no reason to an- 

 ticipate, from what I have seen as to this, or to other Yellow Snakes 

 which I have kept in spirits for several months, that its colours will have 

 materially suffered before it reaches you, it would therefore be the 

 best type to select for a coloured figure. In favour of this Snake, whose 

 cause I am willing as you see to plead, I may add that every scale on its 

 back and sides, from the snout to the tail, (the abdominal and caudal 

 scuta of course excepted) reflected that changeable lustre which the 

 French call chatoyant ; the light-brownish ones giving off a similar golden' 

 splendour, passing off into a vivid green, or light blue, with the blue 

 scales; while these presented a rich Mazarine blue passing from the 

 brightest to the fullest and darkest gradations according to the positions 

 in which they are viewed. 



In addition to the yellow, I have sent a small greyish Snake, a Coluber, 

 which I presume to be undescribed. Sloane mentions a " Serpens major 

 " cinereus, of a light grey colour ;" but as he applies the same epithet of 

 major to the " Serpens subflavus," our Yellow Snake, which he states 

 truly to be 7 or 8 feet long, it is difficult to suppose that his Grey Snake 

 means the small species now sent. His whole description is comprised in 

 the above few words : and as Brown makes no allusion to such a Snake, it 

 seems clear that he never saw one. Of this species I have lately received 

 a live specimen, a little larger than that in the cask, and I found its 

 pupil perfectly circular and black ; the iris on its inner border was of a 

 bright golden hue ; but towards the middle, and on its outer circum- 

 ference, it was set with minute brown dots which gave to it the appearance 

 of a brownish outer ring. 



