THE SNAKES 237 



some of the species of Spilotes — South American — grow 

 to a length of twelve feet and a great number of small 

 ground snakes are quite mature when eight inches long. 

 The coloration is just as varied. Some are of a dull, 

 uniform hue; innumerable ones are prettily striped, 

 longitudinally; a common pattern consists of rings of 

 blazing colors. 



As is natural among such an assortment of forms, 

 every phase of serpentine habits is exhibited. We find 

 arboreal, terrestrial, subterraneous, semi-aquatic, per- 

 sistently aquatic, and an entire subfamily of marine spe- 

 cies. 



As varied are the feeding habits; there are powerful 

 constricting species, others that bolt the prey alive, a 

 whole division provided with fangs and a poison to 

 benumb the prey, as it is being swallowed ; another divi- 

 sion with a venom so deadly it kills the victim within a 

 few minutes' or seconds' time. Viviparous species — 

 those that bring forth the young alive — are common, but 

 the oviparous species predominate, though among the 

 latter are to be found all phases of egg development at 

 the time of deposit — some laying eggs containing well- 

 formed embryos, which hatch in two or three weeks, 

 others mere germinating spots, the latter eggs not hatch- 

 ing before three months' time. 



Colubrine snakes are distributed through all parts of 

 the world where snakes of any kind are found, besides 

 ranging farther north and south of the Equator than 

 serpents of any other family. They are classified prin- 

 cipally by their teeth — a necessary provision in the face 

 of the great series of species monotonously alike exter- 

 nally. To the novice this system might seem beyond 

 comprehension. A little study, however, unfolds the 

 subject so it may be easily grasped, unless one wishes to 



