255 Say on Htrpetology , 



ZOOLOGY. 



iiilHjff|^;miii 



Art. X. Notes on Herpetology, by Thomas Say, of 

 Philadelphia. 



(Communicated by the Author.) 



JxLTHOUGH I have not devoted a particular study to this 

 department of the science of nature, yet I have been amused 

 and instructed by casually observing many of the subjects of 

 it, when I have been rambling in their native haunts, pursuing 

 objects more particularly interesting to me. 



But when perusing, the other day, the acoount of the cop- 

 per-head of our country, by Mr. Rafinesque, I was impelled 

 to ask for information on the subject, through your useful 

 publication, in which that account appeared, and to make, at 

 the same time, a few miscellaneous remarks or notes. These 

 are in part included in the present essay, and if they should 

 have a tendency to incite attention to the reptilia of the 

 United States, at present in a state of confusion and incerti- 

 tude, some portion of benefit will be rendered to the great 

 cause of science. 



I think that a moderate degree of labour and observation 

 bestowed upon the investigation of the species already de- 

 scribed, would prove the unity in nature of some species 

 which have been considered as distinct by all the authors, 

 would detect many errors in observation, expose some decep- 

 tions practised on credulity by the designing, and would en- 

 able us to fix, with some degree of accuracy, our knowledge 

 of truth and of the species. 



A work devoted particularly to this class, by some one 

 adequate to the task, who could have in his view all the 

 known species, is indeed a desideratum. 



Scytale cupreus, Copper-head, &c. of Mr. Rafinesque. I 

 have always considered the Copper-head to be no other than 

 the Cenchris mockeson of authors, and Boa contortrix of Linn, 



