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PART II.-CLASSIFICATION. 



CHAPTER I— Principles. 

 The following synopsis of the families of Indian snakes 

 with their sub-divisions is here presented in order to give 

 a general idea of the system of classification in use, before 

 entering into the details of the Descriptive Catalogue : 



ORDER. OPHIDIA. 

 First Sub-order. HARMLESS COLUBRINE SNAKES. 



(Serpentes colubriformes non-venenati.) 



A. Snakes of low type. Ventral shields absent or 

 NARROW. Head shielding defective or abnormal, 



Fam. I. Typhlopid^. Blind Snakes. Genera. 



Small and quite cylindrical, resembling at ^^¥/^'^- 

 first sight earth-worms rather than snakes. Onychocephalus. 

 Eyes rudimentary, no ventral shields, forepart 

 of the head covered with shields of a peculiar 

 type. Rudimentary hind limbs, hidden. Bur- 

 rowing snakes, rarely appearing above ground. 



Fam. II. Tortricid^. Short-tailed Earth snakes. 

 Body cylindrical ; tail very short, conical. Oplindrophit. 

 Eye small. Head shielded, but only one pair 

 of frontals; ventral shields beginning to appear. 

 Palatine teeth ; Median groove at the chin. 

 Rudimentary hind limbs visible. Burrowing 

 snakes, occasionally found above ground. 



