Boas. REPTILES. Coral SjsaivIS. [>l 
is about six feet long, about as thick as a child’s arm, 
find individuals exceeding two or three feet in length. 
and is remarkable for its fine colours. Tlie ground 
The young are more brilliant in hues than the adults, 
colour is a more or less deep but clear reddish-brown 
and possess a somewhat longer tail. The species 
fading into yellow, and a double row of round brownish- 
have been found in the hot parts of both Old and New 
j’ellow spots edged with black runs along the upper 
Worlds. They have, in particular, been noticed in 
parts, which, however, often become confluent, running 
several of the Polynesian islands, in Java, Bengal, and 
into each other and then forming a single row of large 
in Surinam. Individually they are not widely spread. 
spots. On the flanks, three other rows of a blackish- 
with the exception of the Eryx, which inhabits tern- 
brown colour may be seen. The head of the Aboma 
perate climates, and is found in the South of Europe, 
is nearly of the same size as, and on a line with the 
Western Asia, and the North of Africa, being a native 
trunk, is small, narrow, elongate, conical, and flattened 
of Greece, Tartary, Persia, Arabia, Syria, and Eg^'pt. 
on the crown. The muzzle is very compressed and 
They frequent dry grounds open and exposed to the 
prominent, forming a kind of nose. The nostrils are 
sun, such as sandy deserts. Living continually on 
open, lateral, and are placed very near the extremity^ 
tlie ground, they form little burrows to shelter them- 
The tail is very short, conical, always curved inwardly 
selves from their enemies. They are never seen on 
and terminates in an obtuse point. The Aboma is a 
trees, and appear to avoid the water. It a|)pears that 
native of South America and the West Indies. The 
they are not much embarrassed in their choice of food. 
Prince of Neuwied observed it on the east coast of 
as they swallow indiscriminately small quadrupeds and 
Brazil, where the natives call it the Jihoya, and say 
reptiles, &c., provided the size of the prey is not too 
that it possesses similar habits and manners of living 
much for them. Mice, cecilim, &c., are what have 
to the Boa constrictor, which they also know bj’ that 
been chiefly found in the stomachs of such as have 
name. It ascends trees and often establishes itself in 
been opened. Their bite is attended with no bad 
hollows in the ground, but never frequents the water. 
effects ; but by the common people of the countries 
Its food consists of small mammalia. 
where they are found they are believed to be danger- 
In the second group of the family Boidce, or those 
ous. The species of this family are most probably 
with only a slightly prehensile tail, and the spurs small 
oviparous. They are few in number, ten having been 
or even hidden under the skin, the head is very small 
described in the Museum catalogue. 
and indistinct. It is nearly of the same size as the 
THE CORAL SNAKE ( Tortrix scytale) is one of the 
neck, and the body is cylindrical, and of nearly equal 
best known, perhaps the most beautiful of all, and is 
circumference throughout all its length. The throat 
the only species found in the New World.* It is a 
is not wide, nor does it admit of such extension as in 
native of Surinam, and is often brought to Europe by 
the greater part of the Ophidians, and the eyes are 
sailors. The body, which is well marked by alternate 
small. The scales with which they are covered are 
rings of red and black, is of a cylindrical form, elon- 
almost always smooth, and are all of the same form. 
gate, and of the same thickness throughout its entire 
with the exception of those which are on the head and 
length. The head is nearly of the same size as the 
under part of the body. The species which, according 
trunk, somewhat conical, and with a rounded muzzle. 
to Schlegel’s idea, form only one family, the Tortri- 
The nostrils are round and very small, as also are the 
cina^ are arranged in the British Museum catalogue 
eyes, which are placed vertically on the head. The 
in four small families, their characters being taken 
prevailing colour in the living specimen is a beautiful 
from the distribution of the scales of the head, the 
vermilion red. Numerous rings, close set, of a deep 
presence or absence of intermaxillary teeth, &c., <S:c. 
shining black, often divided into two, or interrupted 
As these characters, however, are only important for 
and alternate, surround the body and the tail through- 
the purpose of methodical arrangement, and as there 
out all its length. A broad ring, which occupies the 
is not much known of the habits of many of the indi- 
posterior part of the head, and the red pointed tail. 
viduals belonging to the group, we will consider them 
are more constant than any other characters. The 
here as all being referrible to one subfamily. 
points of the scales on the body are often marked with 
THE BURROWING SNAKES {Tortridna) are peace- 
black, giving the appearance of a very pretty network 
ful and harmless serpents, mild in disposition, and slow 
pattern. "With the exception of size, the young and 
in their movements. They are always found living 
old resemble each ether closely, as do also the two 
on the ground, and prefer for their place of abode open 
sexes, which are not distinguishable from each other 
and sandy places. For enabling them to move with 
by any exteinal characteristics. When full-grown, 
celerity on such kind of ground, nature has furnished 
the Coral Snake is ordinarily about two feet, or from 
them with a cylindrical body, a narrow belly, and a 
that to two feet six inches in length. A curious fact 
short but strong and sometimes prehensile tail. 
has been noticed in this reptile with regard to its eyes. 
Their teeth are short, but pretty strong, conical in 
When old, the eye often becomes opaque, the covering 
shape, and not very numerous. The nostrils are either 
of the eye being hardened, and blindness is the result. 
orbicular or elliptical, and most frequently vertical. 
It is very common in Guiana, but is scarcely ever seen 
The eyes are very small, somewhat vertical, and except 
to the north of Surinam. In the colony it is known 
in one or two species, with a round pupil. The pre- 
by the names of the Serpent with the two heads and 
vailing colours are red, brown, and yellow, but they 
the Coral Snake. It is erroneously believed by the 
vary much in different species. In general they are 
natives to be venomous, a belief entertained also by 
iridescent and exhibit a considerable play of colours. 
* With the exception of one from California (Clianna bottcv), 
They never acquire any great size, and it is rare to 
of which very little is known. 
