OF REPTILES, 
313 
* Your committee considering this serpent as nondescript, 
and as distinct from other genera of serpents in the fiex- 
uous structure of its spine, have deemed it necessary to 
constitute a new genus, founded on this peculiarity. 
They have adopted the descriptive name Scoliophis , and 
have added the local specific name of Atlanticus.— 
Compared with the genera of Linnseus and Lacepede its 
character will stand thus: 
Scoliophis. — Scuta on the belly, scutellce on the tail, 
spine fexuous. 
Atlanticus . Scoliophis. 
Extract of a letter from Lonson Nash , Esq . to the Hon * 
John Davis , Boston . 
u Dear Sir— That I might be enabled to communicate 
the circumstances attending the capture of the young ser- 
pent more minutely, on Friday last I went to view the place 
where he was taken, accompanied by Mr, Coleby. 
He pointed out the spot, where he was first seen by his 
son, and the place where killed. My statement to you, 
on the 28th ultimo, relative to the distance from the sea, 
where the young serpent was killed, was not correct. 
I was informed, by Capt. Beach, that he was within 
twelve or fourteen feet of the sea, when killed; but I pa- 
ced the ground, and found the distance, from high water 
mark, one hundred and fifty paces. He lay extended 
by some whortleberry bushes, when first discovered. 
The boy called to his father(who was at four or five rods 
distance) t© run, for he had never seen so strange a snake. 
Mr. Colbey ran, with a pitch-fork in his hand, and with 
his fork, confined the serpent against some loose rocks; 
when the serpent exhibited the most violent temper, 
twice he bit himself, held on, and shook, (to use Mr. 
Colbey’s expression,) as one dog shakes another, when 
fighting. His tail seemed likewise a weapon of defence; 
for he struck the end of it against the fork handle seve- 
ral times. His motion was vertical; his progress was 
not near so fast as a man ordinarily walks. His progres- 
sive motion was produced, by first contracting, and then 
extending himself. When contracted, Mr. Colbey says, 
2 E 
