PYTHON. 



245 



Synopsis of Indian Genera. 



I. Pythonirue. Teeth in prsemaxillary bone ; a supra- 



orbital bone ; subcaudals in two rows. [p. 245. 



Head with large shields ; a mental groove .... PYTHOX, 



II. Eoince, Prsemaxillary bone toothless ; no supraorbital 



bone ; subcaudals in a single row. [p. 246. 



Head covered with small scales; no mental groove. GONGYLOPHIS, 

 Head covered with small scales; a mental groove. ERYX, p. 247. 



Genus PYTHON, 

 Daudiu, Hist. Kept, v, p. 226 (part.), 1803. 



Anterior maxillary and mandibulary teeth very long. Head 

 with large symmetrical shields ; rostral, anterior upper labials and 

 anterior and posterior lower labials with pits. Eye small, with 

 vertical pupil. Scales very small, smooth. Tail prehensile ; 

 subcaudals in two rows. 



Fig. 74. Head of Python molurus. 



Pythons, or Rock-Snakes, are, like other Boida;, oviparous : and 

 the curious fact that the female incubates her eggs by coiling herself 

 round them has been repeatedly observed in menageries. Snakes 

 of this genus are nocturnal; tbey live on trees near the water, which 

 they frequently enter, and they feed on mammals and birds. 



Seven species of Python are known, four from Africa and throo 

 from Asia. The latter may be distinguished as follows : 

 Four anterior upper labials pitted ; 00-75 scales 



across the body; 207-330 ventrals; 82-102 



subcaudals P. reticulatus, p. 246. 



Two anterior upper labials pitted ; 60-75 scales 



across the body; 242-265 ventrals; 60-72 



subcaudals P. molurus, p. 246. 



Two anterior upper labials pitted ; 53-55 scales "~ 



across the body; 160-175 ventrals; 28-32 



subcaudals P. cvrtus. 



