320 
NATURAL HISTORY 
They are not hatched till the spring following, the time, 
when they are laid. 
Annul ated' Snake. (PI. 52.) The ground of the 
snake is white, with brown transverse bars, which 
are straight and distinct on the back, but run into 
one another on the belly. The tail is slender, and 
has two ranges of imbricated scales on its under sur- 
face. This animal is a native of South America, and 
when irritated or preparing to bite, raises up the fore 
part of its body, and carries its head in a bending posi« 
tion. 
Of this species there are a great number of elegant va- 
rieties, many of which are figured in the elaborate work 
of Seba, particularly the large annulated snake of Suri- 
nam. 
Aquatic Viper. (PI. 52.) This species is a native of 
India, frequenting wet swampy fields, and commonly 
reckoned a water snake: its length is about two feet nine 
inches; circumference, three inches and a half: head 
rather broad, somewhat depressed, and laterally com- 
pressed; its body is covered with large scales, gradually 
diminishing towards the tail, which is eleven inches in 
length, slightly carinated, tapering very gradually, and 
terminating sharply. Head dusky; rest of the animal 
yellowish brown, with numerous round black spots, 
joined by narrow fillets regularly disposed in oblique 
rows, a few scales of light yellow being interspersed: 
abdomen, yellowish white. 
One of these vipers was caught in the lake of Anka- 
pillv, in one of the traps employed for catching eels, and 
by several experiments made with a stick in trying to 
provoke it, it did not either hiss or snap; neither was it 
provoked to bite a chicken, though pecked several times 
by the animal: while it lay coiled up, a chicken properly 
secured, was laid upon it, but it continued quiet, without 
attempting to wreath round the chicken, or otherwise to 
annoy it; and when the bird fluttered and struggled to a 
get loose, the snake, as if afraid, crept away. It should 
be remarked, however, that in the course of this last ex- 
periment, the viper threw up a large fish, which appear- 
