593 



FULIGINOUS AMPHISB^NA. 



Amphisbaena Fuliginosa. A. albo nigroque varia» 

 AmphisbEena with black and white variegations. 

 A. fuliginosa. Lin. Si/st. Nat, p. 923. 



Amphisbaena, Apamea, &c. &c. Seb. 1. t. 88. mid 2. t, 118. 

 22. 24. 73. 100, 8^c, 



This, which seems rarely to equal the preced- 

 ing in size, is at all times readily distinguished by 

 its colours ; the general cast being a purplish or 

 blackish brown, variegated in an irregular manner 

 on all sides by scattered and broken patches of 

 yellowish white, the outlines or divisions of each 

 variegation being always rectangular : the general 

 form is the same as in the preceding species, but 

 the head is rather longer in proportion : the skin 

 is very strong, and the divisions both of the 

 annuli and scales extremely distinct or strongly 

 marked : sometimes it varies in its colours, ex- 

 hibiting pretty vivid variegations of yellow on 

 a purple or violet ground-colour ; and at other 

 times an equally remarkable contrast of black 

 - and white : it is probable that in the living animal 

 there is always a cast of purple or violet in the 

 ground-colour, and of yellow in the variegations. 

 It is by no means uncommon in many parts of 

 South America, resembling the former species in 

 its maimers, and being equally innoxious. The 

 Count de Cepedc observes, that above the vent 

 is a row of small perforated papilla, similar to 



