306 



BULLETIN 58, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



Variation. — The head scales of this species are subject to great 

 variation. The frontal shield may be intact or broken up; e3^e may 

 be surrounded by from four to six shields; internasals may be united, 

 etc. The scale rows vary between 23 and 27, ventrals between 132 

 and 160, and subcaudals between 49-72. 



Habitat. — This species lives in rivers and along the seacoasts of 

 India east to Indo-China and the Philippines, and south to Ceylon 

 and throughout the Malay countries and archipelago to Borneo, 

 Celebes, Cerain, etc. 



Its right to a place in this work is based upon a specimen collected 

 in Formosa by Mr. Navara, and now in the zoological museum of the 

 University of Christiania. 



List of specimens of Hurria rynchops. 



a Description, p. 305. 



SubfaiTiilv COROISrE:iL,LIlSr..3i:. 



The coronellme snakes embrace a great variety of forms of arbo- 

 real or terrestrial habits, and consequently of the most difl'erent 

 physiognomy. Having no grooved fangs of any description, they 

 are of course nonpoisonous, although a few, like the Dinodon, with 

 their vertical pupil, to some extent resemble various poisonous forms. 

 But apart from the absence of grooves on the posterior maxillary 

 teeth there seems to be no character by which they can be distin- 

 guished from the next subfamily. 



Most of our snakes belong to this group, the genera of which may 

 be identified bv the followino;: 



KEY TO THE GENETtA. OF CORONELLINE SNAKES KNOWN FROM JAPAN AND ADJACENT 



TERRITORY. 



a' Scale rows round body in even numbers Zaocys, p. 352. 



a- Scale rows round body in uneven numbers. 



b^ Anterior temporals present, separating parietals from supralaV)ials. 



(•' Median maxillary teeth differentiated h'oin the others by intervals; pujiil ver- 

 tically elliptic Dinodon, p. 356. 



c^ Median maxillary teeth not differentiated from the others; pui)il round. 

 d^ Scales with apical pits; head distinct from neck. 



e^ More than one loreal Ptyas. p. 345. 



e^ One loreal only. 

 P Maxillary teeth increasing in size posteriorly; tail more than one-fourth 



of total length Zamenis, p. 349. 



P Maxillary teeth subequal; tail less than one-fourth of total length. 



Elaphe, p. 307. 



^ 



