( 121 ) 



Order OPHIDIA. 

 Body elongate limbless, or with rudimentary pelvic styles, 

 scarcely visible externally. The ribs performing the function of 

 locomotion. The rami of the mandible united in front by an 

 elastic ligament. Eyelids none. Penis double, lodged (as in 

 lizards) at the base of the tail, armed with blunt spines, tubercles, 

 and digitiform processes, imperforate, eversile, with an external 

 groove at the base for the conveyance of the semen. The 

 renal secretion passed per cloacam. The majority of terrestrial 

 species harmless, the Pelagic species, being extremely poison- 

 ous without exception. 



Ophidians are divided into three sub-orders. 

 1st, Harmless Colubrine Snakes. 

 2nd, Venomous Colubrine Snakes. 

 3rd, Viperine Snakes. 



Sub-order 1. HARMLESS CoLUBRiNE Snakes. 

 Poison gland none. 



Family Typhlopid^s:. 



Head blunt, not distinct from the neck. Tail short. Eyes 

 rudimentary, covered by the head shields. Scales polished 

 imbricate. Forepart of the head covered by large shields. 

 Upper labials four. Cleft of the mouth inferior, very small, a 

 few teeth in the upper jaw only. Rudimentary pelvic limbs 

 hidden beneath the skin. 



Typhlops, Dumeril et Bibron. 



Snout covered with large shields ; rostal large rounded, blunt. 

 Prseocular present. 



a. Fronto-nasal in contact with the second labial. 



T. Horsfieldii, Gray. 

 The width of the upper part of the rostral is one-third that 

 of the head. Nasal united with the fronto-nasal above the 

 nostril. (In the closely allied Pinang species nigro-albus these 



Q 



