368 MR. A. B, MEYER ON THE POISON-GLANDS OF FISH. [May 26, 
The three or four hinder ones are slenderer than the others in ad- 
vance, which are broad but only moderately strong. It is not until 
the ninth is reached that the maximum of length is obtained. 
The hyoid bones have been described along with the laryngeal 
apparatus (anted, p. 348). 
2. Some Remarks on the Poison-glands of the Genus Caillo- 
phis. By Avoty Bernuarp Meyer, M.D. 
In a paper published in the ‘ Monatsberichte der k. preuss. Akad. 
d. Wiss. Berlin,’ March 1869, I gave a description of the large 
poison-glands of two snakes belonging to the Asiatic Elapide, 
namely, Callophis intestinalis, Laur., and C. bivirgatus (Boie). 
These glands are situated in the body-cavity itself, and occupy from 
one-third to even one-half of the whole length of the snake, and, in 
consequence thereof, influence the situation of the intestines, push- 
ing them back towards the tail. I did not find these poison-organs 
in C. maculiceps, Gthr., nor in C. calligaster (Hemibungarus, Pet.). 
Afterwards J. Reinhardt observed (Vidensk. Medd. fra den Natur- 
hist. Forening i Kbhvn. 1869, n. 6-8) that also C. gracilis, Gray, 
and C. m‘clellandii, Reinh., do not possess these glands, but only 
the usual apparatus. When I published my first paper I had had 
no opportunity of examining these snakes, but I have now taken 
advantage of the extensive materials in the British Museum and of 
the kindness of Dr. Giinther to extend my researches over all the 
known species of the genus Callophis (except C. gaponicus, Gthr., of 
which there is only one, typical specimen). 
I can confirm Reinhardt’s statement of the absence of the poison- 
glands in question in C. gracilis and C, m‘clellandii, and have found 
that all the other species of this genus likewise do not possess the 
glands, viz. C. trimaculatus, Daud., C. annularis, Gthr., and C. ni- 
grescens, Gthr. Likewise Megerophis flaviceps, Reinh., a snake 
which resembles strikingly C. bivirgatus (var. tetratenia, Bleeker), 
except in the vertebral scales and the head-shields, does not possess 
this peculiarity, but only the usual gland, 
I found, however, the gland in all the varieties of C. intestinalis 
and C. bivirgatus, viz. in var. malayana (Elaps thepassii, Bl.), as 
already stated by Reinhardt, in var. philippina and var. melanotenia, 
Bl., of C. intestinalis, and in var. tetratenia, Bl., of C. bivirgatus. 
We can therefore affirm that only the Callophides of the islands in 
the Malay archipelago, and of the Philippine Islands (which inhabit 
the Malayan peninsula too, and C. intestinalis also Central India), 
possess this large poison-apparatus, whereas the Callophides of 
Central India and the Malayan peninsula do not possess them. 
Whether it be allowable to found on this character a generic 
difference or not, can only be decided after further researches on 
the skeleton &c. of these snakes, which I am prevented now from 
undertaking, as I am about to depart for the Malay archipelago. 
