SERPENTS. 359 



form often met with in zoological gardens, where it is known as the fetich-snake. Its 

 home is in the warmer parts of Africa. 



In Australia there are at least six species of Pythonidse and more genera than of 

 any other innocuous family. The representatives are the largest ophidian inhabitants, 

 some reaching the length of ten feet. They are nocturnal and move during the day 

 only when compelled to. The genus Mordia has the rostral plate, as well as the ante- 

 rior three labials and the posterior infralabials, provided with deep pits. M. spilotes 

 is of a glossy black color, with a bright yellow spot on every scale ; the abdominal 

 scutes are yellow, with shades of black. This animal may be distinguished, as can the 

 other Australian rock-snakes, from the numerous poisonous forms inhabiting the same 

 country, by the large number of scale rows, there being from forty to fifty in the 

 pythons, while the lai-gest number known among the poisonous snakes is twenty-six. 

 It is a strange coincidence that while the so-called ' diamond snake ' of Australia, the 

 form now under consideration, is harmless, the Soplocephalus superbus, inhabiting the 

 neighboring island of Tasmania, and bearing the same vernacular name, is highly ven- 

 omous. M. spilotes has a very limited distribution in southeastern Australia, being 

 only found from the coast to the Blue Mountains, but is represented further west by 

 the following species. The individuals of this species inhabit nearly every region 

 that offers shelter, though stony ridges supplied with trees and well watered seem to 

 be their favorite localities. It is in such places that they can find young water-rats, 

 {Hydromys) ducks, and possibly the straying chickens of a neighboring farmer. 

 Though naturally unobtrusive, when irritated they bite severely. The eggs of either 

 this or the following species have been found. ' They were neatly piled up in a nest of 

 dry grass, which was concealed in a hollow log. 31. variegata, or the carpet-snake, 

 closely resembles the diamond in its habits and structure, though its habitat is defined 

 and separate. It is found in every other part of the continent except southern Vic- 

 toria, the region of the diamond snake. In coloring it is of a uniform greenish brown 

 with irregular markings ; different specimens show a great variation due to age and 

 locality. In their movements and general habits the carpet and diamond snakes are 

 similar, though the former may be somewhat the larger. 



The genus Aspidiotes has the scales in fifty-two rows and reaches a length of eight 

 feet, and may possibly grow larger, even exceeding the Mordias in size. The species 

 are not well known, and only a few specimens have been captured. A. melanocephcdus 

 is at once recognized by its jet-black head and neck, its small scales, narrow abdominal 

 plates, and the absence of pits in the labials. The general color is light brown, with 

 darker rings above, and yellowish white below. Allied to this genus is Ziasis, the 

 representatives of which have some of the upper and lower labials pitted. The few 

 species are found in the islands of the Arafura sea. JVardoa has only the posterior 

 infralabial pitted. JV. gilbei-tii has a length of from three to six feet. Of its habits 

 little is known. 



Of the family of boas, the Boidjj;, it may be said that its members are distinc- 

 tively New World, resembling the pythons in their habits, and in being of enormous 

 size, but differing from them in several structural particulars. The boas have the 

 body long and fusiform; the head distinct and flattened; the snout prominent; the 

 tail generally prehensile ; the nasal plates may be entire or divided ; the nostrils lat- 

 eral. The labials are generally without the pits so characteristic of the Old World 

 forms, many of the cephalic shields are divided, and the sub-caudals are entire. 



£oa imperator, or the emperor, is found in Central America and Mexico, and may 



