47 



II. — Venomous Serpents, with fangs fixed, and permanently erect. 



Family. ELAPSOIDEA. 



CHARACTERS. 



1. The head is not distinct from the body, and the jaws are not dilatable, in 



consequence of the shortness of the tympanal bones. 



2. There are teeth both in the upper maxillary and palatine bones, besides which 



the former is armed on each side and near its anterior extremity with a single, 

 strong, conical, perforated, fixed, and permanently erect fang. 



3. The deep pits between the eye and nostril, so conspicuous in the last family, 



are wanting in this. 



4. The body is cylindrical and very long, with broad plates on the abdomen; the 



tail is short, thick, conical, and covered below with bifid plates or scales. One 

 genus of this family only inliabits the United States. 



