THE 



GREAT BOA. 



Generic Character. 



Tranfverfe Lamella? both on the abdomen and 

 beneath the tail. 



Specific Character. 



VARIEGATED BOA with about 240 Lamellae 

 on the abdomen and 60 beneath the tail. 



By thofc who are unacquainted with the wonders of 

 Nature, the defcriptions given by Naturalifts of fome of 

 the more finking and Angular animals, are received 

 with a degree of cautious fcepticifm, or even rejected 

 as exceeding the bounds of credibility. Amongft thefe" 

 animals may well be numbered the prodigious ferpents 

 which are fometimes found in India, Africa, and America; 

 ferpents of fo great a fize as to be able to ingorge even 

 fome of the larger quadrupeds, and of fo enormous a 

 length as to meafure 20, 25, and 30 feet. There is 

 reafon to believe that thefe immenfe ferpents are be- 

 come lefs common now than fome centuries backwards, 

 and that in proportion as cultivation and population 

 have increafed, the larger fpecies of noxious animals 

 have been expelled from the haunts of mankind, and 

 driven into the more diftant and uncultivated trafts. 

 They are ftill however occanonally feen, and fome-, 



times 



