4/0 



SHORT-TAILED SNAKE. 



Coluber Brachiurus. C. ferrugineus, subtus alhido-flavescens, 

 squamis subhemgonis, cauda obtuSa brevissima. 



Ferruginous Snake, yellowish white beneath, with subhexa- 

 gonal scales, and extremely short obtuse tail. 



Coluber albus ? Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 378. Mus. Ad. Frid. p. 24. 

 t. 14./. 1. 



Stumpfschwanzigte Natter. Merre7n Beyfr. 2. p. S6, t. 37. 

 Abdominal scuta 170, subcaudal scales 2(). 



Described from a specimen in the Museum 

 of Dr. William Hunter. Length about a foot and 

 half : habit resembling that of the genus Aiiguis : 

 head of similar diameter with the neck and bod}^^ 

 but slightly tapering at the nose, and covered in 

 front with large scales : those on the remainder of 

 the upper parts all hexagonal, and rather large in 

 proportion to the size of the animal : colour ferru- 

 ginous brown, the skin appearing between the 

 scales : beneath yellowish white : scuta narrow : 

 tail extremely short, scarce measuring two inches, 

 and tapering pretty suddenly to an obtuse point. 

 Native country unknown. 



This seems to be the species described and figured 

 by Mr. Merrem under the title of Stumpfichwan" 

 zigte Natter, and which he, with great proba- 

 bility, supposes to be the Coluber albus of Lin- 

 nseus, the description in the Museum Adolphi Fri* 

 derici agreeing in all particulars except that of 

 colour, and it appears pretty clearly that Linnasus 



