44 
Your committee considering this serpent* as nondescript, and 
as distinct from other genera of serpents in the flexuous structure 
of its spine, have deemed it necessary to constitute a new genus, 
founded on this peculiarity. They have adopted the descriptive 
name of Scoliophis, and have added the local specific name of 
Atlanticus. Compared with the genera of Linnasus and Lace- 
pede its character will stand thus : 
Scoliophis. —Scuta on the. belly, scutellce on the tail, spine 
flexuous. 
Jltlanticus. Scoliophis. 
The following documents relate to the appearance of this an¬ 
imal while living, and to the circumstances under which it was 
killed. 
The deposition of Gorham Norwood, of Gloucester. 
I live in that part of the town of Gloucester, called Sandy Bay. 
On Saturday, the 27th day of September last, I was at work in a 
field near Loblolly cove, about a mile and a half from Sandy- 
Bay village ; Mr. Colbey and his son were at work near me. 
The boy called out that there was a snake, and that it did not 
move like other snakes, and did not move fast. I went with Mr. 
Colbey immediately to the spot pointed out by the boy ; the snake 
had in the mean time taken shelter under a rock, which the boy 
observed, and pointed out to us. I turned over the rock and 
saw a snake coiled up ; at my approach with a pitchfork, he rais- ' ’ 
ed his head, and began to move. 1 immediately pierced him 
through with the pitchfork, and Mr. Colbey came up and bruised 
the head of the snake with a stone, which he threw at him and by 
which the Snake was killed. Upon examining the Snake, it 
struck us as being different from any we had ever seen, and it 
was concluded to carry it to the village of Sandy Bay. It was 
viewed by many people, it being a training day at that place, and 
all who viewed it, observed that they had never seen such a 
* Tlie specimen of the Scoliophis is now exhibiting 1 by Cap- Beach, 
its possessor. It has been presented by him to the Cinnscan Society, to 
be deposited in their cabinet, at the end of his exhibition. 
