ORDER OPHIDIA. 325 



slightly emarginated. The upper jaw is fixed, as in the 

 anguis, and not mobile as in other serpents. The intestinal 

 canal is pretty long, and makes several folds ; there is a 

 small coecum and a large rectum. The stomach of an am- 

 phisbcena when opened, was found to be filled with insects of 

 a moderate size. 



On each side of the body a line may be remarked, which 

 distinguishes the back from the belly ; all the scales on which 

 this line passes are marked with two crossed wrinkles forming 

 an X ; it extends only as far as the anus. This last has a 

 cleft in the form of an obtuse angle, surrounded with small 

 papillae. 



The White Amphisbosna (A. Alba, Lin.) inhabits Brazil, 

 and its name in the language of that covmtry is Ibriaram, 

 which signifies Lord of the Earth. Margrave first made 

 known this species. Its description is by no means equivocal, 

 and it is not easy to imagine why Linnaeus and his successors 

 have applied it to a species of ccecilia to which it could 

 never answer. It is, moreover, after what Margrave tells us of 

 his ibriaram, that authors have described the manners of their 

 amphisboena alba. 



He relates that this serpent wounds with its tail as well 

 as with its head, and that the bite is extremely venomous, 

 each of which assertions are equally erroneous. He adds 

 that the ibriaram remains under ground, and that it attacks 

 the ant-hills, so as to drive out the ants in large flocks as 

 soon as they have got their wings. It is very possible that 

 this reptile may be fond of feeding upon ants ; but it is quite 

 superfluous to attribute the fact of their quitting their ant- 

 hills in great numbers to the pursuit of this animal. 



Captain Stedman informs us, that the common people at 

 Surinam call the amphisboena the king of the ants, and ima- 

 gine that, when it is blind, the large ants go for the pur- 

 pose of feeding it. 



