9 o 
The Cyclops Water Snake ( Tropidonotus cyclopium ), 
Florida. 
The Flat-tailed Water Snake (7. compressicaudus ), 
Florida. 
The Banded Water Snake ( T. fasciatus ), Southern States. 
The Common Water Snake (71 sipedori), Eastern and 
Southern States. 
The Hog-nosed Snake or “ Spreading Adder” ( Heterodon 
platyrhinos ), United States east of Mississippi. The last- 
named species is often called “ Blowing Viper,” and as it 
assumes a most threatening aspect when disturbed, it is com¬ 
monly held in great dread. It is, however, one of the most 
harmless of snakes. 
The boas are a group of serpents inhabiting the tropical 
zone, and attaining the largest size of any known members of 
the order, as the anaconda and boa of South America, and 
the python and rock snake of Africa and Asia. They are 
possessed of great power and kill their prey by compression; 
they swallow without difficulty animals which appear larger 
in circumference than themselves, the articulation of their 
jaws and ribs permitting of a great degree of distension. 
Dr. Hartwig, in “The Tropical World,” treats in a most 
entertaining style of these serpents :— 
“ The kingly Jiboya (Boa constrictor ) inhabits the dry and sandy locali¬ 
ties in the Brazilian forests, where he generally conceals himself in 
crevices and hollows, in parts but little frequented by man, and some¬ 
times attains a length of thirty feet. To catch his prey, he ascends the 
trees and lurks hidden in the foliage for the unfortunate agutis, pacas, 
and capybaras whom their unfortunate star may lead within his reach. 
When full grown he seizes the passing deer; but in spite of his large size 
he is but little feared by the natives, as a single blow of a cudgel suffices 
to destroy him. Prince Maximilian of Neu Wied tells us that the experi¬ 
enced hunter laughs when asked if the Jiboya attacks and devours man. 
The Sucuriaba, Anaconda, or Water Boa ( Eunectes murinus ), as it is 
variously named, attains still larger dimensions than the constrictor, as 
some have been found of a length of forty feet. It inhabits the large 
rivers, lakes, and marshy grounds of tropical America, and passes 
most of its time in the water, now reposing on a sand-bank with only its 
head above the surface of the stream, now rapidly swimming like an eel, 
or abandoning itself to the current of the river. Such is its voracity that 
Firmin Histoire Naturelle de Surinam’) found in the stomach of an 
Anaconda a large sloth, an iguana nearly four feet long, and a tolerably 
sized ant-bear, all three nearly in the same state as when they were first 
swallowed—a proof that their capture had taken place within a short 
time.” 
