ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN 



159 



WEST INDIAN BOA. 

 A species conrined to ihe West Indii 



find captive specimens ijuite mature, and bring- 

 ing forth young, at sixteen feet in length. The 

 writer believes that the addition of a very few feet 

 to this figure would represent the maximvnn 

 dimensions of the species. 



Another New World boa, and one of the most 

 beautiful of serpents, is a snake well known by its 

 scientific name. This is the Common Boa, both 

 technically and popularly known as the Boa 

 constrictor, a native of tropical South America 

 and the West Indies. Three handsome specimens 

 are on exhibition. Owing to its good temper and 

 docile nature, this species of boa is eagerly sought 

 by snake " charmers, " but it is not, however, really 

 common in captivity. 



Although all species of boas and pythons are 

 constrictors, it must be understood that scientific 

 classification has seen fit to separate the boas from 

 the pythons. This being the case, it can be appre- 

 ciated that the indiscriminate practice of calling all 

 the large snakes "Boa constrictors" is far from 

 correct. The genus Boa contains seven species, 

 and the name Boa constrictor is the scientific title 

 of the most widely-known South American species, 

 the Common Boa. 



The Common Boa is not a particularly large 

 serpent. A full-grown adult will measure ten 

 feet, but the average length of a mature specimen 

 is from eight-and-one-half to nine feet, .\nother 

 snake of the same genus, on exhibition in the Rep- 



tile House, is the West Indian Boa, {Boa diiinilo- 

 qiia), a species inhabiting Dominica, St. Lucia and 

 Trinidad, and attaining a length of about eight 

 feet. In its form and pattern, this serpent much 

 resembles the Common Boa, but may be dis- 

 tinguished by its much darker colors, which im- 

 part to it a somber aspect. Specimens of this 

 snake that have recently shed their skins gleam 

 with the iridescent luster which is often to be 

 noted among the larger constrictors, and usually 

 denotes a state of good health. 



Closely allied to the preceding species is an- 

 other interesting serpent, known as the Mexican 

 Boa, (Boa imperator). This is a smaller species, 

 and in its rich color-pattern it suggests the Boa con- 

 strictor. Our specimen was captured in Central 

 .\merica, and is but half grown. It makes up for 

 its small size by an energetic display of temper, 

 and usually may be observed lying coiled almost 

 in a spherical mass on the topmost branch of the 

 tree in its cage. 



Compared with the graceful forms of the ma- 

 jority of the boas, the Tree Boas are quite gro- 

 tesque. The neck is extremely long and slender, 

 and the head so large and broad that it appears as 

 an incumbrance to the snake. Moreover, the 

 head is pointed at the snout and very broad in the 

 rear, imparting a venomous aspect to the reptile. 

 With its flat body wrapped tightly about a limb, 

 the prehensile tail likewise employed, and the long 



