266 Say on Merpdology. 



that from the numerous attestations to its efficacy we should 

 be almost led to suppose a very strong affinity to exist between 

 the venom and the animal thus applied. 



That so numerous a catalogue of plants have gained credit 

 with the uninformed as specifics, will not be surprising, when 

 we know that the reservoir of the venom is very readily ex- 

 hausted and slowly replenished. When this reservoir is vacated, 

 the reptile is of course innoxious, and the most inert plant 

 would then stand a good chance of gaining reputation with the 

 credulous as a specific. 



For a similar reason we have so many cures for the bite of 

 a rabid animal ; and it may be for a similar reason that the 

 body of an animal has acquired repute as an antidote, against 

 the venom of a serpent. 



Coluber trivittaia of Mr. R. p. 80, of this work. Judging 

 from the descriptive name and the locality, is the C. sirtalis of 

 authors, or possibly the C saurita or C ordinatus. These 

 serpents have each the three vittae, though in the two former 

 this trait is much more striking. I know of no other serpent 

 in our vicinity to which the name can be characteristically 

 applied. The ordinatus has been called bipunctatus and ibibe 

 by the French school. What is the difference between sirtalis 

 and saurita? they must be very closely allied, if not synony- 

 mous. 



Coluber getulus, Lin. This species attains to a more con- 

 siderable magnitude than authors have stated. I saw a speci- 

 men on Cumberland Island, Georgia, at least five feet long. 

 The ground colour, by the direction of light in which I viewed 

 him, was deep glaucous or livid, he was much more robust 

 than C Constrictor.* He permitted my near approach, with- 

 out agitating his tail in the menacing manner of the serpent 

 just mentioned, and of the crotali, or manifesting any signs of 



* This last is the animal, beyond a doubt, judging from the detailed descriptioa 

 and plate, which has lately been erected into a new genus, under the name of 



Scoliophus ....the identity is immediately obvious, to any 



one acquainted with the specific characters of the above-mentioned coluber. And 

 I presume it can be made apparent, to any one tolerably versed in the scienc«, 

 should proof be thought necessary. 



