The Blind Snakes and Dwarf Boas 



tunnels and feed upon worms and insect larvae. Some of the 

 tropical species live in ant-hills. 



Resume of the North American Species. 



a. A pair of supraocular plates. (See illustration). 

 Scales in fourteen rows. 



Pale brown above; white beneath. 

 Dimensions. Total Length 8-12 inches. 



Tail about one-twentieth of the total length. 



TEXAS BLIND SNAKE, Glacuconio. dulcis, B. & G. 

 Distribution. Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. 



b. No supraocular plates. (See illustration). 

 Colouration like preceding. 



CALIFORNIA BLIND SNAKE, Glauconia humilis, B. & G. 

 Distribution. Arizona, southern California, Lower 

 California and Mexico. 



The Boas Family Boidtz: The Boidce is divided into two 

 sub-families the Bointz and the Pythonince: but one species 

 of the latter is found in the New World (in Mexico). 



The scalation of the body is usually fine; with some of the 

 species quite granular. The large crawling plates of the abdomen 

 are not nearly so broad as on the Colubrine snakes. Head 

 covered with enlarged scales, or with shields; pupil of eye usually 

 elliptical. Most of the species show external traces of the 

 rudimentary hind limbs in the shape of claw-like spurs. 



Four species are found in North America; all are small. 

 Two exhibit burrowing habits, like the Old World sand boas 

 (Eryx) to which they are closely allied. 



Key to the Species 



General. Scalation of the body very fine; abdominal plates 

 narrow; plates under the tail undivided. Pupil elliptical. Body 

 stout; tail blunt. 



a. Head covered with scales. 



Genus Lichanura. 



Bluish gray or brown, sometimes with three obscure, 

 darker bands. Abdomen reddish. 



ROSY BOA, L. roseofusca. 



Distribution. Southern California and Arizona. 

 Pale yellow, with three, very distinct, dark brown bands. 



THREE-LINED BOA, L. trivirgata. 

 Distribution. Lower California. 



b. Head covered with shields. 



Genus Charina. 

 210 



