PREFACE vii 



from attempting a general account of them. ]\roreovev. the 

 nunilicr of species of recent lizards antl snakes is so hevvildcr- 

 ing, the genera of many families being hut tedious variatii»ns ol 

 the same theme, that only those forms have l)een described 

 ■which are the most important, tlie most striking, or which the 

 traveller is most likely to come across. Tiie student wliu wishes 

 to go farther into systematic details nmst consult tlie seven 

 ^•olunles of the Cdtalogtic of lle].)tUrs in tlic Brithh Musfiirn 

 (London, 1889-1896). Mr. G. A. P.oulenger, the author of this 

 magnificent series, has rendered the systematic treatment of 

 recent Amphibia and Eeptiles an easy task. .T)uring many 

 years of the most friendly intercourse I have profited on count- 

 less occasions by his ever -ready advice. Although he has 

 kindly read the proofs of the part dealing with the Amphilua 

 it would be unfair to associate him with any of its short- 

 comings or with contestable opinions, for which I alone am 



responsible. 



« 



Cope's large work on the Crocodilians, Lizards, and Snakes 

 of Xorth America (Kcp. U.S. Nat. Mvs. for IS'DS (1900)) has 

 unfortunately appeared too late to be used in the ])resent 

 work. 



The drawings on wood were, with few exceptions, made liy 

 Miss M. E. Durham, mostly from living specimens — a procedure 

 which has to a great extent determined the selection of the 

 illustrations. 



Since both the metric and the English systems of measure- 

 ments have been employed, it may be well to state for the 

 convenience of the reader that the length of a line of the text is 

 four inches or approximately ten centimeters. 



I have frequently and freely quoted accounts of previous 

 authors instead of paraphrasing tliem. Especial tlianks arc (hie 

 to Messrs. Longmans, Green, and Co., anil to Messrs. ^Murray, 



