Minerva's snake. 519^ 



,niarkably wide, extending on each side in such a 

 manner as to embrace near two thirds of the body : 

 tail somewhat pyramidal, very long, and flattish 

 beneath : this species was observed by Dr. Pallas 

 about the borders of the river Yaik, occasionally' 

 frequenting both land and water. 



Minerva's snake. 



poluber Minervse. C. glavcus, fascia dorsalifusca, capitejascm^ , 

 tribus. 



glaucous Snake, with a brown band down the back, and thrc^ 

 on the head. 



Coluber Mi nerv£e. JJn. Syst. JSat. p. 388. Mus^ Ad, Frid. 

 p. 36. 



Abdominal 3cuta 1238, subcaudal scales 90. 



Described by Linna?us in the Museum Adol* 

 phi Friderici : length about a foot and half : thick- 

 ness greater than that of a swan quill: colour 

 glaucous, with a broad^ longitudinal, brown band 

 down the back, and three longitudinal bands on 

 the head, two which pass through the eyes : head 

 oblong, ovate, convex, and smooth : eyes large : 

 tail slender, and measuring about a third of the 

 whole length : on each side the body, towards 

 the tail, is a narrow dusky line : the scales on the 

 whole animal are smooth : native of the East In^ 

 dies. The Snake, being considered as the emblem 

 of Wisdom, was consecrated to Minerva by the 

 ancient Greeks, but the particular species it would 

 be in vain to, conjecture. 



