REPTILIA. This class of vertebrates is divided into nine orders, of which four are represented by living forms and the others are extinct. The four existing orders are crocodiles, lizards, snakes, and tortoises. LIZARDS (Lacertilia). These are everywhere abundant. I have fed off some, and have a few preserved in spirits, but none of sufficient interest to record. SNAKES (Ophidia). On July 7, 1883, I found at the hotel at Paraopéba Station a book on medicine,* which appears to be a valuable work. From it I extracted a few notes on carrapatos, and, finding a list of the snakes of Brazil, I ascertained from the landlord the names of those which occur in that district. As far as I could find out from the local names they are as follows: Cobra cascavel (a rattlesnake), boiquira, or boicininga; the latter an Indian name—as usual, highly scientific-boi, or boya it is the Crotalus horridus, Darwin. tiful in the forests near Pitanguy. Surucucu bico de jacca, Lachesis muta. Jararáca, Cophias jararaca. Cobra coral, Elaps maregravii. = = a serpent, cining a bell; Giboia, boa constrictor, plenSurucucú, Lachesis rhombeata. I have elsewhere referred to the cobra coral, and a snake called jararacussú, which I occasionally found, as also the jararáca, but was fortunate enough to avoid the rattlesnake, although some of our staff came across it. On the 20th of December, 1883, I saw a long very thin snake; its colour was greenish blue on the upper side, with a bright yellow under side. The snake had just seized a large frog, and I wondered how he would dispose of him. I was attracted by hearing the frog's terrified croak, and, dismounting from my horse, drew near to watch the proceedings. The snake fixed his cold glassy eye on me, as I approached within a * "Diccionario de medicina popular." Pedro Luiz Napoleão Chernoviz. Paris, 1878. yard of him, but continued swallowing the frog, swelling out marvellously as it gradually was disappearing. As the last foot of the frog entered the snake's mouth, I gave him a blow on the head, when immediately the frog was disgorged, every bone in his body broken, covered with slime, but still breathing and moving. After killing the snake, I was also compelled to despatch the frog. I regret much not having preserved any snakes, but the instinct of self-preservation was, perhaps unfortunately, always uppermost ; therefore, the reptiles were so disfigured and bruised they were of no use as specimens. M. Liais says of the cascavel* that it does not inhabit the forests on the coasts, but especially the region of high campos, as the plateau of Barbacena. "Happily, this serpent of so active a poison is very lazy, and does not attack. It only bites when touched or trodden on. My learned friend, the Visconde de Prados, had the opportunity, near Barbacena, of observing several cases of bites by this snake, and furnished me with most interesting information as to its poison. Death follows on the bite almost instantaneously, preceded by blindness. The evil is generally incurable, especially when the bite reaches parts much interlaced by veins. Sometimes, however, the Crotalus has but little poison, no doubt because it has recently bitten another animal, and in that case, which is rare, a cure may be effected. The effect of the poison is to dissolve the blood globules and, by increasing its fluidity, to produce hæmorrhage." M. Liais mentions another snake of the same genus, Crotalus urutú. I heard occasionally of persons who were bitten, but was only told of two cures. The first, and more general because easily attainable, making the patient drunk; the other, injection of permanganate of potassium. I always carried in my pocket a small case containing a bottle of this liquid, and a syringe, etc., for injection hypodermically; but am most thankful to say I never had occasion to use it. I was once informed that a man was bitten who wished for the injection; the village apothecary had the necessaries, but, never having tried the operation, refused to perform, and a messenger was sent to me on the matter. I was unable to go, but showed the man my apparatus and explained *"Climats, Faune," etc., p. 305. its use, urging him to operate without delay. I shifted camp the next day, and heard no more. Teetotalers will be shocked by the "drunken process;" but Captain Burton says, *"This is the secret of the cure; the action of the heart is restored, the venom is expelled, and the brain returns to its normal functions." M. Liais cites the case of other snakes whose bite coagulates the blood. Such is the sorocotinga (Trigonocephalus brasiliensis), allied to the Trigonocephalus rhumbeatus (Lachesis rhumbeata, Lacépède). He states that this is the only Brazilian snake which attacks man. In the case of the jararacussú (Trigonocephalus atrox), the bite often produces gangrene. M. Liais states that the other venomous snakes of Brazil belong to smaller sized genera than the preceding, mostly less formidable than the Crotalus and Trigonocephalus, and that ammonia counteracts the effects of the bites of many of them. TORTOISES (Chelonia). On December 24, 1883, a wonderful beast was described to me, and his portrait, a veritable marvel of antediluvian chelonians, was drawn. I was told that the animal abounded in the marshes, and that its bite was more deadly than that of a snake-no recovery possible. One of these awe-inspiring creatures was brought to me next day, a poor little harmless tortoise some six inches across the body, with a remarkably long neck, which it tucked sideways under its shell when looked at or touched. The natives were much frightened at my handling it. HORNED TOAD (Amphibia). The only species of amphibia of which I preserved a specimen is the handsome and brightly coloured yellow and brown horned toad, Ceratophrys granosa-a remarkable instance of protective colouring, as it is impossible to distinguish it a foot or two off, without touching it, when resting on the fallen dead leaves of the forest. * "The Highlands of Brazil," vol. ii. p. 183. SHELLS (Mollusca). List of shells collected in a short ramble by the Bay of Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro. I am indebted to the kindness of J. Cosmo Melvill, Esq. F.L.S., for naming the specimens. The classification is from Paetel's "Conchylien Sammlung," 1883; from H. and A. Adam's " Manual of Mollusca," 1858; and from G. P. Woodward's "Manual of the Mollusca," 1880. This shell is very common everywhere in Minas Geraes, but I never found it with the mollusc inside. Mr. H. W. Bates says that "the land molluscs are the only animals which æstivate; they *Much worn. are found in clusters (Bulimi and Helices), concealed in hollow trees, the mouths of their shells closed by a film of mucus."] Division I.-RHOPALOCERA. List of Butterflies collected by H. C. Dent in Brazil. All the insects were taken in the province of Minas Geraes, except those marked *, which, in nearly every case, came from the province of Rio de Janeiro. The nomenclature is from specimens in the British Museum and Hewitson Collections at the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London. The classification is from Mr. W. F. Kirby's "Synonymic Catalogue of Diurnal Lepidoptera, with Appendixes," 1871-1877. Fam. I.-NYMPHALIDE, Swains. Sub-fam. I. Danainæ, Bates. Danais, Latr. Plexaure, Godt. Erippus, Cram. Lycorea, Doubl. Atergatis, Doubl., Hew. Dero, Hübn. Ceratinia, Hübn. Daeta, Boisd. |