1861.] DR. O.WUCHERER ON OPHIDIANS FROM BAHIA. 115 



high, its upper angle verj^ ohtuse ; series of teeth of moderate length, 

 posterior tooth longest, grooved, anterior all equal ; body fusiform ; 

 tail distinct, rather short, tapering ; scales moderate, truncated be- 

 hind, polished, in nineteen rows, those of anterior part and of sides 

 of body smooth, of posterior part and of tail keeled ; no scales of 

 the middle line in any part larger ; ventral shields narrow ; anal 

 divided ; subcaudals in two rows. 



Above olive, with three darker longitudinal streaks, or rows of 

 spots sometimes confluent, alternating in the different rows ; inferior 

 half of upper labials and body beneath yellowish ; belly and tail 

 beneath with transverse black streaks, some of which do not reach 

 across (chequered as in Liophis). 



Length of cleft of mouth ^ inch, breadth of head f inch ; length 

 of tail 54" inches ; total length 22 inches. 



The specimen described is in the collection of the British Museum. 



This Snake is not very rare in the moist valleys in and about the 

 city of Bahia. 



Of the family Boidce some of the most formidable members occur 

 here as in other parts of Brazil. 



1. Epicrates cenehria, 



2. Xiphosoma canimim, 



3. Boa constrictor, and 



4. jE'M??ec^e5 »iMnm(s have been noticed by me. The most common 

 species in Bahia appears to be Eunectes murinus. It is the "SucU' 

 rujaha " of the natives, and is very frequently seen in close proximity 

 to the town of Bahia, but very large specimens are here but seldom 

 found. On the borders of the S. Francisco river they attain an 

 enormous size. I should rather think that it must have been this 

 snake, and not the Boa constrictor v/hich Dr. Gardner in his ' Travels 

 in Brazil' mentions as having swallowed a horse. The Boa does not 

 grow so large by far. Eunectes murinus seems to possess an extra- 

 ordinary capability of fasting ; a friend of mine kept the largest spe- 

 cimen 1 ever saw in close confinement for three years, and it was 

 never known to swallow anything during this whole period. It died 

 much emaciated. 



The first species of the family of Calamariidce which I have met 

 with is new, and I conclude this first part of the paper with a de- 

 scription of it : — 



GeOPHIS GiJNTHERI. (PI. XIX. fig. I.) 



Diagnosis. — Upper labials seven, the third and fourth coming into 

 the orbit ; a single pair of chin-shields. Dirty-orange, with a lon- 

 gitudinal jet-black band from the occiput to the end of the tail. 



Description. — Total length 12f inches; length of tail l^inch; 

 head indistinct, depressed. Body almost cylindrical ; tail cylindrical, 

 tapering. Cleft of mouth short ; eyes moderate. Rostral shield 

 broad, just reaching the surface of the head ; two pairs of frontals, the 

 anterior pair in direct contact with the rostral ; the posterior frontals 

 reaching the orbits ; vertical almost regularly triangular ; super- 

 ciliaries moderate, occipitals rather large and elongate, slightly forked 



