368 OPHIDIA. 



Lycodon Boie, S. As. ; Lystrophis Cope, S. S.-Am. ; Lytorhynchus 

 Ptrs., N. Afr., As., Arizona, California ; Macrocalamus Gthr. ; 

 Oligodon Boie, S. As., Lower Egypt, about 20 species ; Petalognathus 

 D. and B. trop. Am. ; Philothamnus Smith, trop. and S. Afr. ; 

 Phrynonax Cope, trop. Am. ; Prosymna Gr. trop. and S. Afr. ; 

 Pseudaspis Cope, S. Afr. ; Pseudorhabdiuni Jan, Malay Pen. and 

 Arch. ; Rhahdophidium Blgr., Celebes ; Rhadinaea Cope, C. and S. 

 Am., 26 species ; Rhamnophis Gthr., trop. Afr. ; RhinocJdlus B. and 

 G., N. Am., Mexico, Venezuela ; Scaphiophis Ptrs., trop. Afr. ; 

 Simophis Ptrs., BrazU ; Simotes D. and B., S. China, E. Indian 

 continent and Arch., about 25 species ; Spilotes Wagl., S. Am. ; 

 Stegonotus D. and B., Philippines, Moluccas, Papuasia, Queensland ; 

 Stilosoma Brown, Florida ; Symphimus Cope, Mexico ; Sympholis 

 Cope, Mexico ; Synchalinus Cope, C. Am. ; Thrasops Hallow, W. Afr. ; 

 Trimetopon Cope, C. Am. ; Tropidodipsas Gthr., C. Am. ; Typhlo- 

 geophis Gthr., Philippines ; Uromacer D. and B., Santo Domingo ; 

 Urotheca Bibr., Cuba, C. and S. Am. ; Virginia D. and B., N. Am. ; 

 Xenelaphis Gthr., Burma, Malay Pen. and Arch. ; Xenodon Boie, 

 trop. Am. ; Xenurophis Gthr., W. Afr. ; Zamenis Wagl., Eur., As., 

 N. Afr., Senegambia, N. and C. Am., 31 species ; Z. mucosus, 

 rat-snake of India, to 7 ft. ; Z. constrictor, the black-snake of 

 America, to 6 ft. an expert climber ; Zaocys Cope, S.-E. As. The 

 position of Amastridium Cope, Colombia, and Anoplophallus Cope, 

 Tahiti is doubtful. 



Sub-fam. 3. Rhachiodontinae. Only a few teeth on the posterior 

 part of the maxilliary and dentary bones and on the palatines. Some 

 of the anterior thoracic vertebrae with the hypapophysis much 

 developed, directed forwards and capped with enamel ; one genus and 

 species. Dasypeltis scabra L., to 2J ft., trop. and S. Afr. ; they eat birds' 

 eggs which they break in transit along the oesophagus with the 

 hypapophyses above mentioned. 



Series B. Opisthoglypha. 



One or more of the posterior maxillary teeth grooved in front ; more or 

 less poisonous but not seriously harmful to man, the poison being weak 

 or the poison teeth too far back ; about 300 species, cosmopolitan except 

 New Zealand, terrestrial, arboreal, and aquatic. 



Sub-fam. 4. Homalopsinae. Nostrils valvular on the upper sur- 

 face of the snout ; viviparous, aquatic in the rivers and estuaries of 

 the E. Indies from Bengal to N. Australia. Hypsirhina Wagl. ; 

 Homalopsis Kuhl ; Cerberus Cuv. ; Eurosttis D. and B. ; Myron Gr. ; 

 Gerardia Gr. ; Fordonia Gr. ; Cantoria Gir. ; Hipistes Gr. ; Herpeton 

 Wagl. 



Sub-fam. 5. Dipsadomorphinae. Nostrils lateral, dentition well 

 developed ; long-tailed, terrestrial, arboreal, and subaquatic ; about 

 70 genera, cosmopolitan except the northern parts of the N. Hemi- 

 sphere. 



Amblyodipsas Ptrs., Mozambique ; Alluandina, Mocq., Mad. ; 

 Amplorhinus Smith, trop. and S. Afr. ; Aparallactus Smith, trop. 

 and S. Afr. ; Apostolcpis Cope, S. Am. ; Brachyophis Mocq., Somali- 

 land ; Calamelaps Gthr., trop. Afr. ; Chamaetortus Gthr., E. and C. 

 Afr. ; Chrysopelea Boie, S.-E. As. ; Coelopeltis Wagl., S. Eur., S.-V". 



