89 



A POPULAIl TREATISE ON THE COMMON INDIAN 



SNAKES. 



Illustrated by Coloured Plates and Diagrams 



BY 



F. Wall, C.M.G., C.M.Z.S., F.L.S., Lieut.-Colonel. I.M.S. 



Part XXVI {(vith Plate XXVI and Diai/ram). 



(Continued from pac/e G35 of Volume XXV.) 



As now classified the large famih- Gokdrridce is divided into three 

 " series " depending upon peculiarities in the dentition of the 

 Maxillte. 



/Series A. Aglypha (Greek "a" without, and '-glupho" I carve) 

 comprises those snakes that have no grooved (carved) nor canali- 

 culate fangs. 



Series B. Oinsthoglypha (Greek " opisthe " behind, and 

 "glupho") the representatives of which have grooved fang-like teeth 

 at the back of the maxilla. 



Series C. Proteroglypha (Greek " proteros" in front, and 

 '• glupho ") including those snakes with a pair of canaliculate or 

 true fangs in the front of the maxilla. The first subject of this 

 paper comes into " Series " B, and the second into " Series" C. 



" Series " B. OPISTHOGLYPHA. ' 



This "Series'' comprises three siib-families (1) Homalopsime, 

 (2) Dipsadomorphiinae, and (3) Elachistodontinge. The first ot 

 these contains our first subject. 



Sub-family IIOMALOPSINyE. 



This is again divided so as to represent ten genera, seven of 

 which occur ^^■ithin Indian limits. 



Genus GEBBERU8. 



Three species are known, one Australian, one peculiar to the 

 Philippines, and a third rhyncJiops which has a wide range of 

 distribution in India and beyond. 



CERBERUS RHYNCHOPS (Schneider). 



The Dog-faced Water snake. 



History. — This was first brought to the notice of the scientific 

 world by Russell who figured it twice, once in his First Volume 



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