ORDER OPHIDIA. 251 



Anguis Scytahi L. Seba, II. xx. 3. 



Two feet long, painted with irregular rings of black 

 and white.* 



The Uropeltis, Cuvier, are a new genus, ap- 

 proximating to tortrix, whose tail, still shorter, is 

 obliquely truncated above, and the truncature is flat 

 and rough with small grains. The head is very 

 small. The muzzle pointed. Under the belly is a 

 range of scales, a little larger than the others, and 

 under the stump of the tail a double range.f 



Such of the non-venomous serpents as have, on 

 the contrary, the mastoidian bones detached, and 

 whose jaws are capable of considerable dilatation, 

 have the occiput more or less swelled, and the tongue 

 forked, and very extensible. 



They have been formed long since into two prin- 

 cipal genera, the hoas and the adder s, distinguished 

 by simple or double plates under the tail. 



The BoAst (Boa, Lin.) 



Formerly comprehended all serpents, venomous or 



• Add Ang. CoraUinus, Seb. II. Ixxiii. 2, 1. 3. which is, perhaps, but a 

 variety of Sci/tale; Ang. Atcr, id. xxv. 1, and vii. 3; Tortr. Riifa, Merr. 

 which appears but a variety o( Ater ; Ang. Maculatus et Tesselatus, Seb. 

 II. c. 2 ; F. Latta, N. Seba, II. xxx. 3. Russel. xliv. ; Tortr. Punctata, 

 Nob. Seba, II. ii. 1,2,3,4. and VI. i. 4. 



\ Uropeltis Ceylanicus, Nob. ; Uropeltis Philippinus, two new species. 



J Boa, the name of certain large serpents of Italy, probably of tlic 



