Rajinesque on the Red Adder. 85 



considered as deaf, because he is easily surprised, and does 

 not appear to hear the noise of your approach. 



It belongs to the genus scytalus of Daudin, kc, which differs 

 from the Boa of Linnseus, as the genus Vipera does from Colu- 

 ber, being provided with fangs. I have given to it the name 

 of Scytalus Cupreus, which means coppered scytalus. The 

 following definition of the species maj be considered as com- 

 parative and characteristic. 



Scytalus Cupreus. Tail one-eighth of total length, with 46 

 caudal plates entirely brown ; 160 abdominal plates, the last 

 very broad ; head oval, coppered above, yellow underneath ; 

 scales carinated on the back, which is coppered, with reddish 

 brown rings cross-shaped ; belly variegated of brownish. 



Description. Total length about three feet ; body thicker 

 than in the innocent snakes. Head large, broad, oval, obtuse, 

 very distinct from the neck, nearly two inches long, flattened, 

 coppered brown above, and'covered with large, smooth scales ; 

 yellow underneath, as well as the neck, and with rhomboidal 

 smooth scales. Mouth very large ; fangs yellowish white. Back 

 flattened anteriorly, a little angular in the middle, covered 

 with ""small rhomboidal, obtuse, keeled scales ; those of the 

 sides larger and smooth, not keeled ; centre of the back of a 

 brownish copper colour ; sides of a bright copper ; broad bands 

 or rings, becoming forked on each side, and assuming nearly 

 the shape of a St. Andrew's cross ; they are of a reddish 

 brown : there is a round spot opposite to the sinusses, and the 

 scales of the sides are minutely dotted of brown. The abdo- 

 minal plates are 150, beginning under the head ; the last, 

 covering the vent, is very broad, double the other : they are 

 of a shining, pale copper colour, with two longitudinal and 

 lateral rows of great, irregular, brown spots, with some light 

 brownish clouds between them, and each plate is marginated 

 of whitish. The belly is very flat and broad, about 1| inch in 

 diameter ; and the skin may be distended on the sides, when 

 the animal is not fed. Tail short, tapering gradually, about 

 four inches long, cyHndrical, brown, without spots, with 46 

 plates underneath, and having at the end a small, obtuse, horn 



