ZOOLOGICAL 

 SOCIETY BULLETIN 



No. 1^ Published by 'Ihe Nkw ^'ork. Zoological Society J'^A'' ^9^4 



THE BIG SERPENTS. 



By RAYMOND L. DITMARS, 



CURATOR OF REPTILES. 



OWING to their large size and brilliant 

 colors, the boas and pythons, representing 

 the Family Boidae, are among the most 

 interesting inmates of the Reptile House. 

 Forty-eight specimens of these showy serpents, 

 representing eleven .species, are now on exhibition.* 

 The collection of boas and pythons contains not 



only the huge pythons of tropical Africa and India, 

 and the gorgeously-hued "Boiguacu" of South 

 .\merica, but lowly forms as well, such as the 

 Rubber Boa, a diminutive burrowing species of 

 the western United States, and the remarkable 

 Sand Boa, or '"Two-Headed" Snake, of Egypt. 

 The boas proper, constituting the subdivision 



Photographed to show the great length which this species attains. 



* So thoroughly representative is this collection that a map showing 1he dislriK 

 Boidae (,lhe Boinae and Pyllwitinae) has been prepared, together with 4 la^gi*' of 

 and placed in front of the large python cage. -i"'' ' 



II 



JUL 13 



wo subdivisions of the 

 1, which will be framed 



