XIII AGLYPIIA ACROCIIORDINA1-: — COLUIIRIN AK 607 



of Xorth-Eastern India ; iuu»tlitjr, j\'ot.k(iji.sis, liver? iar I'ruiu its 

 supposed allies, on the Isthmus of Darien, Central America. 



Aci'odiordus jaranicus has no ventral shields. The head is 

 flat, covered with small granules, with the eyes and nostrils on 

 the upper surface. The general colour is dull olive - brown, 

 lighter and spotted beneath. Tlie food consists of fishes. Total 

 length up to 4 feet. 



Chcrsydrus granulatus ranges from the coast of ]\Iadras to 

 Xew Guinea. The body and tail are compressed, and form a 

 ventral fold, covered with tiny scales like the rest ()f the l)ody. 

 General colour grey above, yellow Ijelow. 



Sub-Fam. 2. Colubrinae.- — The postfrontal bones are restricted 

 to the posterior border of the orbits. 'J'he maxillary and 

 dentary bones carry teeth, on their whole length. The scales 

 are usually imbricating. This sub-lVimily contains the over- 

 whelming majority of snakes, about 1000 species, all of them 

 harmless so far as poison is concerned. None of them reach a 

 great size, species of 6 or 7 feet in length being rare, e.g. 

 Zamenis mucosus, but a few species of the Indian genus Zaocys 

 s. Coryphodon grow to 10 feet. Most of the Colubrine snakes are 

 oviparous, but some, e.g. Coronella, are viviparous. Some are 

 aquatic, or semi-aquatic, others are absolutely arboreal, others 

 again prefer dry, sandy, or rocky localities, according to their 

 food. The distribution of the sub-family is cosmopolitan, finding 

 its natural limits only in the permanently frozen under-ground, 

 a condition which makes hibernation impossible. Most of them 

 love warmth and like to bask, although many are not fond of the 

 In'oiling sun. In the temperate regions they hibernate. As a rule 

 they are intelligent and some of them become even affectionate. 



'fropidonotus. — The teeth form closely set series on the whole 

 length of the maxillaries, palatines, pterygoids, and the greater 

 portion of the dentaries. The premaxilla is toothless. The 

 teeth of the maxillaries gradually increase in length, the posterior 

 teeth Ijeing the longest. The pupil is round. There is a pair 

 of internasal shields. The scales covering the Ijody have each 

 an apical, sensory pit, are mostly keeled, and are arranged in 

 longitudinal series. The ventral shields are broad ; the sub- 

 caudals form two rows. This genus, with more than seventy 

 species, has a wide range, practically over the whole world with 

 the exception of New Zealand and the southern hall' of Australia. 



