BOSTON 
JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
* 
Vor. III. JANUARY, 1840. No. :1-58. 
ART. 7. REPORT ON THE REPTILES OF MASSACHU- 
SETTS. By D. Humpureys Storer, M. 
" INTRODUCTION. 
Tur qu MT paper was prepared at the same time, and 
presented, with the ** Report on the Fishes of the State," 
to the Chairman of the Zoological Commissioners. It is 
very far from being satisfactory to myself; and gladly 
would I have delayed its publication until further research 
had made it more complete. But being expected to give 
an account of my labors at an appointed time, I had no 
alternative left me, save to collect and present my descrip- 
tions, written oftentimes unavoidably with great haste and 
brevity. 
The Catalogue of our Reptiles contained in Professor 
Hitchcock’s Survey, prepared by Dr. Smith, of Sutton, 
contains most of our species, and was evidently drawn up 
with care; but as he has given no descriptions by which 
| we ma judge of his accuracy, I have felt at liberty, when 
cies has been catalogued which clearly should not be, 
or r Which the best herpetologists in our country, well ac- 
VOL. IIL.—NO. I-II. 1 s 
sa 
