POISONOUS SNAKES 
anatomical distinctions between various snakes. So 
that the poisonous vipers are not nowadays placed 
with poisonous cobras. These Colubride, which are 
poisonous, are usually grouped together into two series, 
named in accordance with the fact that the poison fangs 
are anterior or posterior. In the “‘ Proteroglypha”’ it is 
some of the anterior teeth in the upper jaw which are 
grooved and transmit the deadly venom. In the “ Opis- 
thoglypha” it is on the contrary, the posterior. The fangs 
of the viper are dealt with under the description of the 
tree viper below. The essential difference between the 
venomous colubrine and the venomous viper is the 
reduction of the poison fangs, and the maxillary bone 
which bears them, in the latter, and the fact that the 
teeth are not merely grooved for the transmission of the 
ducts of the salivary glands which secrete the poison, 
but actually perforated at the base as well as grooved 
further up. 
THE SUCURUJU OR ANACONDA 
The first of the two above names is the best one to use 
for this, the largest of the snake tribe. For it is actually 
an “ Indian”’ word in use in South America, whereas 
anaconda is apparently Ceylonese in origin. Another 
vernacular name is Water Camoodie, in contrast to 
Camoodie, which refers in British Guiana to the boas, 
including the well-known Boa constrictor. Eunectes muri- 
nus is the technical name of the best known species of 
anaconda, for of these snakes there are more than one 
kind. They inhabit only tropical South America, and 
would seem to be undoubtedly the largest living serpent. 
Thirty-three feet has been registered, and others say 
thirty-seven, or even over forty. But skins will stretch 
and imaginations also. Still it is big, and its size may 
be the cause, taken into conjunction with its habitat, 
of part of the sea-serpent legends. There seems to be 
ZG. 257 S 
