(5§ COLUBER GUTTATUS. 



himself supposes he is describing the Corn-snake, as he refers to Plate Iv. of 

 Catesby, and says they are common in Carolina and Virginia. 



Latreille, at the end of his description of the Coluber molossus, gives an account 

 of a serpent brought from Carolina by Bosc, which he thinks is closely allied to 

 the Coluber guttatus; with which it is indeed identical, as may easily be seen by 

 referring to his description; but to increase the stock of names, he calls it "la 

 Couleuvre cannellee." 



It is not a little singular that Bosc, who says he furnished this animal for 

 Latreille, should have confounded it with the Hog Nose, to which it bears not the 

 slightest resemblance. It can only be accounted for by supposing that some other 

 serpent fell by accident into Latreille's hands instead of the one intended; for 

 there cannot be the least doubt that his description refers to the Coluber guttatus 

 — a more correct one cannot be given; nor does it contain the slightest hint by 

 which we can suppose that any Heterodon is meant. 



There can be no doubt that the Coluber molossus of Daudin is the Coluber 

 guttatus of Linnaeus, from the number of its plates, disposition of its colours, &c.; 

 especially as he says Bosc found it in Carolina, adding that it resembles the Boa 

 constrictor. 



Merrem, generally very accurate, overlooked the Coluber guttatus of Linna?us, 

 and described the same animal as a new species, under the name Coluber pan- 

 therinus. Of this, one may easily be satisfied by a reference to his description, 

 which is full and minute, but especially by looking at the figure accompanying it, 

 which is excellent; the colour only is faulty, being evidently taken from an animal 

 preserved in alcohol. The Coluber Floridanus is only another name for the same 

 animal, as Dr. Pickering pointed out to me, in the Museum of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences, the specimen which has added this synonyme, and though much 

 bleached, it is clearly identical with the Coluber guttatus. 



