1861.] DR. O. WUCHERER ON THE OPHIDIANS OF BAHIA. 323 



clined to relinquish its hold, began to encompass its head with its 

 wide jaws. It became evident that the Liophis would have to share 

 the fate of its intended victim. As it was the first living specimen 

 of its species I had been able to obtain, I was very anxious to save 

 its life ; so I cut the Xenodon in two with a knife, and the Liophis 

 quickly passed through the anterior segment of the Xenodon' s body 

 with the frog. The Liophis was returned to its cage, when it directly 

 seized hold of the other frog, and swallowed it undisturbed. It had 

 along its head, neck, and anterior part of the body minute wounds 

 from the Xenodon' s teeth, which bled freely while it was engaged in 

 swallowing the frog ; but it has done quite well since, and I hope it 

 may arrive safely at the Gardens of the Society. 



It is surprising how broad and flat a Xenodon rhabdocephalus 

 makes itself at times, chiefly whilst basking in the sun. This is 

 owing, I suppose, to a peculiar conformation and attachment of its 

 ribs, which I have not yet examined. The species of Liophis never 

 make themselves so broad. A Xenodon can pass a crevice which is 

 exceedingly small in proportion to the width of its head,— one smaller 

 than that which a Liojjhis with a much thinner body can pass. 



Of the interesting species Xenodon colubrinus, so well established 

 and happily named by Dr. Albert Giinther, I received several live 

 specimens from Ilhe'os. When irritated, it rapidly strikes the ground 

 with its tail — a habit I have also noticed in Spilotes variabilis, S. 

 poecilostoma, S. corais, and in Coryphodon pantherinus. In its 

 habits it resembles also X. rhabdocephalus, but in the form of its head 

 it shows great similarity to the members of the next family— that of 

 ColubridcB. In this species I first noticed a bright white spot or 

 groove on the tip of each scale. Recently I have become indebted to 

 Dr. A.Giinther's kindness for a perusal of Prof. Reinhardt's interesting 

 paper on these curious spots or depressions. Reinhardt discovered 

 them during his stay in Brazil, about thirteen years ago, in a living 

 specimen of Philodryas olfersii — a snake which has not yet been 

 noticed by me. After his return to Europe he found them in pre- 

 served specimens of many other Ophidians, and has tried to vindicate 

 for them the importance of a classifying character, which they un- 

 doubtedly possess. Reinhardt mentions that these depressions had 

 been noticed before by Wagler in species of Xenodon, by Holbrook 

 in Coluber alleghaniensis, and by Giinther in West Indian species of 

 Dromicus, but that they had been overlooked by other herpetologists. 

 InXenodon colubrinus theyare remarkably distinct, clearly perceptible 

 with the naked eye ; they are circular, and placed very near the tip 

 of the scales. 



The family Colubridce is represented by two genera in this province 

 — Spilotes and Coryphodon. 



Cory phodo7i pantherinus is exceedingly common. The grooves on 

 its scales are double, as in all the other species of this family, with 

 the exception of Zamenis dahlii, Fitz., which, according to Reinhardt, 

 has scales with a single groove. Reinhardt, however, observes that 

 this Ophidian had been classed by Schlegel with the Psammophidce, 

 which have scales provided with a single groove. 



