1833.] CURIOUS SNAKE. 9? 
tance of six feet. As often as the animal was irritated or 
surprised, its tail was shaken; and the vibrations were extremely 
rapid. Even as long as the body retained its irritability, a 
tendency to this habitual movement was evident. ‘This Trigu- 
nocephalus has, therefore, in some respects the structure of a 
viper, with the habits of a rattlesnake: the noise, however, being 
produced by a simpler device. The expression of this snake’s 
face was hideous and fierce; the pupil consisted of a vertical slit 
in a mottled and coppery iris; the jaws were broad at the base, 
and the nose terminated in a triangular projection. I do not 
think I ever saw any thing more ugly, excepting, perhaps, 
some of the vampire bats. I imagine this repulsive aspect ori- 
ginates from the features being placed in positions, with respect 
to each other, somewhat proportional to those of the human 
face ; and thus we obtain a scale of hideousness. 
Amongst the Batrachian reptiles, I found only one little toad 
(Phryniscus nigricans), which was most singular from its colour. 
If we imagine, first, that it had been steeped in the blackest ink, 
and then, when dry, allowed to crawl over a board, freshly 
painted with the brightest vermilion, so as to colour the soles of 
its feet and parts of its stomach, a good idea of its appearance 
will be gained. If it had been an unnamed species, surely it 
ought to have been called Diabolicus, for it is a fit toad to 
preach in the ear of Eve. Instead of being nocturnal in its 
habits, as other toads are, and living in damp obscure recesses, 
it crawls during the heat of the day about the dry sand-hillocks 
and arid plains, where not a single drop of water can be found. 
It must necessarily depend on the dew for its moisture; and this 
probably is absorbed by the skin, for it is known, that these 
reptiles possess great powers of cutaneous absorption. At Mal- 
donado, I found one in a situation nearly as dry as at Bahia 
Blanca, and thinking to give it a great treat, carried it to a pool 
of water ; not only was the little animal unable to swim, but, I 
think without help it would soon have been drowned. 
Of lizards there were many kinds, but only one (Proctotretus 
multimaculatus) remarkable from its habits. It lives on the 
bare sand near the sea coast, and from its mottled colour, the 
brownish scales being speckled with white, yellowish red, and 
dirty blue, can hardly be distinguished from the surrounding 
