118 
ON THE PHYSIOGNOMY OP SEEPENTS. 
Zoology of Shaw, published in 1802, contains the descrip- 
tion of serpents. This work, in every part, affords but a 
crude and steril compilation ; the new species which the 
author makes known are very few in number. It appears 
that Shaw described the sea-serpents from specimens 
brought home by Russel. 
The most complete work which has yet appeared on 
Ophidians, is that of Daudin : it forms a part of his Na- 
tural History of Reptiles, published in 1802, and the 
following years. The author has followed the method of 
Brongniart, but the formation of several new genera is 
due to him. After the example of Russel, he has separated 
the Pythons from the Boas ; his genus Bungarus has not 
to this time sustained any alteration ; that of Vipera com- 
prehends with him most of the venomous snakes properly 
so called ; his genera Lachesis, Hurriah, Eryx, &c., have 
been rejected by me, while of the others, the Coralla and 
Cothonia have never been adopted by naturalists. The 
descriptions of Daudin are generally very minute, but he 
is deficient in solid elementary knowledge, and is ruled by a 
spirit of contradiction. This author, little skilled in criti- 
cism, often commits very grave errors. The figures which 
adorn his work are superior to those of Lacepede ; but, 
reduced to too small a size, most of them are deficient in cor- 
rectness. Daudin has availed himself of numerous mate- 
rials furnished by the monographs of Merrem and Russel, 
published in part before the period when he wrote. 
The first of the works which we have just mentioned, 
theBeitrage de Merrem, contains figures of serpents, easily 
recognisable, and accompanied by good descriptions. The 
second is the most extensive and richest collection, which has 
ever appeared to illustrate that part of a fauna which treats 
of Ophidians, The portraits which it contains, especially 
in the second volume, are for the most part very accurate, 
although the artists may be charged with neglect of the 
numerous means which modern art possesses, and of which 
the French delineators know so well how to avail themselves. 
We owe to Russel many excellent remarks on the habits 
of serpents ; the experiments which he made on the effects 
of the bite of those animals merit quotation ; hence his sue- 
