THE SEA SERPENT. 477 
•'"•’ tl'0 species of tlie two serpents to be 
*’ot improbable that the one is the progeny of 
•* ••-j- f|,. n <> j'l vijc*L I's iijc pro^cii^ 
I ' ’■'■ithont fangs, the tribe most nearly 
Scoliophis, are said by naturalists to be 
S3., t > It nm- — ... . j .1 • 
in'^ ‘■’'"'‘'’y®’ oviparous ; to deposit their eggs in 
vS them summer ; and to 
Cl''Vin?'' ®§S® hatched by the heat of the 
'"tEn . than a month. It should be remarked that 
Liiaii a moniTj. it shoLud be remarked that 
itiK described in the accounts and depositions, 
H near the shore • • ■ 
'of 
fV!P'y 
August only. 
•e, and, with on.e exception, in the 
igaf •'I'o three principal objections which may be 
*>eir 1 specific identity of the two animals j and. 
disnn 
tiL”'?P''°P°''^‘onate size. This is not apparently 
J'llu-.! 's found between tl: 
VSe R " 
found between the young and full grown 
ot some other animals, among which may be 
t Y'Uy i'^‘\^n^STRicTon. Secondly, that the one was 
U*' water, and the other on land. This obiec- 
\i 'Oils Avlien it is recollected that the eggs ot 
& 
!l '' It 
''"''e J;^?''r>iils are deposited on land. The large serpent 
^v''‘iers(j /"riphibious animal, dependent on respiration, 
Wj *iii» by its general structure, and by its 
be surfitce of the water, often with its head 
. *•' V.V.^V-JSVV,S^ Wll xuilta. J.14C *“‘5^ aCl^ClH 
‘led the shore in the night, or at other times. 
'Ihe small serpent was found near the 
111 
g ' n place over which the sea breaks in stormy 
..,. ... J'Ppi'siiig it a young animal, it might have re- 
‘Hb''‘i'a!|y place wdiere it was hatched, or it might 
vesorted to the shore from the water. It 
''Ji^*^^‘''S 0 cl .y^P'^i'lcd to venture far from the shore, until 
u' should afford it .some security from becom- 
‘ ce ij '"^Ser animals of the ocean. Lastly, the cir- 
■' Hot iinv' evidences of immaturiiy were 
w"!'- '-1 U . c ■' ®viaences ot immaturiiy were 
I '‘bi"'''* ul)'^ Scoliopliis might be considered as the source 
if it were not well known that, as 
"•''tjiil''i'ir .j'i'.'‘'*y abandon their eggs, the young are perfect 
If ' J 
'■'Is, and capable of jirovldingfor their own sub- 
*'"‘\'!te l!^5‘''ately on their being hatched. 
the Committee observe, as these two 
many conspicuous, important, and pecu- 
‘'"li as no material diilcrence has been yet 
‘ledr,,., . .. .... ... n..- • ... 
®nt, exceping that of size, the Society will 
