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perceiving the slightest sign of your intention to disturb it, the Snake will dart upwards 
through the branches and over the leaves, which scarcely seem to bend beneath the weight. 
A moment more, and you have lost sight of it. Whenever I return to Europe, you may be 
sure that in my hothouse these harmless lovely creatures shall not be missing.” 
The green color of this species is paler than above. 
The Gray Shake of Jamaica ( Dromicus ater) is another instance of this family. It is 
often called the Black Shake, but as that title has already been employed, it is better to use 
the popular name which is first mentioned. 
This reptile is extremely plentiful in Jamaica, where it is mostly found haunting heaps of 
dead leaves, rocks and buildings. It is especially fond of the crevices found in old walls, and 
will lie for hours with its head and neck hanging out of some cranny partially awaiting the 
approach of any miserable lizard which may come within reach while searching after flies. It 
is rather a savage ophidian, darting fiercely at its adversary if irritated, and inflicting a 
wound which, though not dangerous, is very unpleasant, and causes the limb to swell and 
ache for some time. It is said, that if it is attacked by a dog, it strikes at the eyes, and can 
blind the poor creature. While preparing to strike, it dilates its neck, and flattens its head, 
so as to look as like a venomous Serpent as its limited means will permit. 
The color of the Gray Snake is exceedingly variable. Mostly, it is uniformly black, with 
a tinge of brown ; but it often happens, that the former tint is subservient to the latter, and 
in many cases the color is gray, sometimes of a uniform tint, and sometimes variegated with 
large dark spots. The length of this Snake is rather more than three feet. 
The little family of the Dasypeltidae possesses but one genus, but is remarkable for the 
formation of the teeth and their use. The teeth of the jaws are very minute and scanty, being 
at the most only six or seven in number ; but some sharp and strong processes issue from the 
hinder vertebrae of the neck, through holes in the membranes, and form a series of tooth-like 
projections in the gullet. 
The most familiar example of this family is the Rough Ahodoh, of Southern Africa. 
The name Anodon is of Greek origin, and signifies toothless. This reptile lives almost wholly 
upon eggs, which it eats after a curious fashion. When it finds a nest, it takes the eggs into 
its mouth, where they lie unharmed, on account of the absence of teeth, so that the shell is 
not broken, and the liquid contents are preserved. When, however, the reptile swallows the 
egg, it passes into the throat, and meets the saw-like row of vertebral teeth which have just 
been mentioned. In its passage, the shell is cut open by these teeth, and the muscular con- 
traction of the gullet then crushes the eggs, and enables the contents to flow down the Snake’s 
throat. These bony processes are tipped with enamel like real teeth. 
The color of this remarkable Serpent is brown, with a row of black marks along the back, 
sometimes coalescing into a continuous chain, a series of smaller spots upon each side, and 
some arrow-head marks upon the head of a jetty -black. 
The next family is composed of the Tree- Serpents, or Dendrophidse, so called from the 
habit of residing among the branches of trees. 
Our first example of this family is the well-known Boomslahge, of Southern Africa. In 
pronouncing this word, which is of Dutch or German origin, and signifies Tree-Snake, the 
reader must remember that it is a word of three syllables. The Boomslange is a native 
of Southern Africa, and is among the most variable of Serpents in coloring, being green, 
olive, or brown ; of such different colors, that it has often been separated into several 
distinct species. 
Dr. A. Smith has given the following valuable description of the Boomslange and its 
habits : — 
“The natives of South Africa regard the Boomslange as poisonous ; but in their opinion 
we cannot concur, as we have not been able to discover the existence of any gland manifestly 
Vol. HI.— 18. 
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