REPTILES. 367 



its use, urging him to operate without delay. I shifted camp the 

 next day, and heard no more. 



Teetotalers will be shocked by the " drunken process ; " but 

 Captain Burton says,* " This is the secret of the cure ; the action 

 of the heart is restored, the venom is expelled, and the brain 

 returns to its normal functions." 



M. Liais cites the case of other snakes whose bite coagulates 

 the blood. Such is the sorocotinga {Trigonocephalus brasiliensis), 

 allied to the Trigonocephalus rhumbeatus {Lachmsis rhumbeata, 

 Lac^pfede). He states that this is the only Brazilian snake which 

 attacks man. 



In the case of the jararacussii {Trigonocephalus atrox), the bite 

 often produces gangrene. 



M. Liais states that f the other venomous snakes of Brazil 

 belong to smaller sized genera than the preceding, mostly less for- 

 midable than the Crotalus and Trigonocephalus, and that ammonia 

 counteracts the effects of the bites of many of them. 



Tortoises {Chelonia). 



On December 24, 1883, a wonderful beast was described to 

 me, and his portrait, a veritable marvel of antediluvian chelonians, 

 was drawn. I was told that the animal abounded in the marshes, 

 and that its bite was more deadly than that of a snake — no recovery 

 possible. One of these awe-inspiring creatures was brought to 

 me next day, a poor little harmless tortoise some six inches across 

 the body, with a remarkably long neck, which it tucked sideways 

 under its shell when looked at or touched. The natives were much 

 frightened at my handling it. 



Horned Toad {Amphibia). 



The only species of amphibia of which I preserved a specimen 

 is the handsome and brightly coloured yellow and brown horned 

 toad, Ceratophrys granosa — a remarkable instance of protective 

 colouring, as it is impossible to distinguish it a foot or two off, 

 without touching it, when resting on the fallen dead leaves of the 

 forest. 



* ■ " The Highlands of Brazil," vol. ii. p. 183. 

 t " Climats, Faune," etc., p. 307. 



