59 T'wo-Headed Snakes. 
circle them with his folds. It is nevertheless free {rom pot- 
son. 
This species belongs to the tribe of viviparous snakes, 
comprising such as are tn strictness, containers of eggs, 
but do nevertheless hatch them within their bodies, and 
bring forth the young alive. ‘This has been long known to 
happen in the case of the European viper, called Vipera, a 
derivative from Vivipara, from the known habit of excluding 
the offspring from retained or unlayed ova. 
We have here an example of the monstrosity of three in- 
dividuals belonging to a single litter of serpents, and that 
Monstrosity conspicuous in the twofold formation of the 
head. It might hence be inferred from analogy, that all ser- 
pents of this irregular constitution are also monsters. Still, 
as these mis-shapen productions have somehow been regard- 
ed as exceptions to the rule, I shall add a few more obser- 
vations. 
Intelligence by a most credible source has reached me 
from the Black river, near Lake Ontario, of a snake with 
three heads. The specimen was promised to me, and I do 
not yet despair of receiving if. 
| offer as part of this communication, a somewhat cireum- 
stantial description of a two-headed serpent, | received from 
one of the Fejee !slands, a few years ago. ‘The length is 
four inches and three quarters. ‘Though there is some difli- 
culty in counting the shields, yet, as nearly as [can ascertain, 
the scuta of the betly are one hundred and twenty-five, and 
the/scutella of the tail fifty-three. There are two pairs of 
jaws, two pairs of eyes, and two complete and separate heads. 
From the anterior termination of the dorsal ridge, the body 
branches forwards into two equal and regular necks. ‘These 
necks are short and connected by an intervening membrane, 
and continuous skin beneath. On this skin is a sort of liga- 
ment, reaching across the chin, from the outer angle of one 
mouth, to the outer angle of the other. It seems to have 
given strength and simultaneous motion to the jaws. The 
two heads are of the same size, and very symmetrically form- 
ed. ‘The back is dark brown, approaching to black; the 
belly paler, and of a yellowish brown; the tail tapers away 
like that of most other snakes, being neither flat, abrupt, 
nor blunt. 
Among the ancients, two-headed snakes have been men- 
tioned by Aristotle and Milian. Among the moderns, Joseph 
