1116 REPOKT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1^98 



aa. Scales smooth. 



/i. One internasal jdate. 



;K. Gastrosteges with two keels. 



Parietal plates suhdivided Hipistes Gray. 



Xy. Gastrosteges uot keeled. 



Nasal plates in contact hehind rostral ; eye resting on labial plates, 



Hypsirhina Wagler. 

 Nasal places in contact; eye hounded helow by scales, 



Tachyplotua Reinhardt. 



Nasal plates separate; eye on lahials Fordonia Gray . 



Nasal plates separate ; eye hounded with scales helow, 



Cantoria Girard. 

 /3/i. Two internasal plates. 



Supraorhital and posterior lahial plates suhdivided ; two anals, 



Homalophis Peters. 



Nasals in contact hehind rostral; parietals entire Ferania Gray. 



Two pairs of prefrontals; nasal plates separate, undivided; eye on 

 lahials ; anal double Heleophis Miiller. 



The geographical distribution of these genera is East Indian. 



The habit of the subfamily is aquatic, and it embraces the fresh-water 

 snakes of all countries. Many of the East Indian forms are partially 

 marine, living in tide water or on the coast, as Homalopsis, Cerberus, 

 etc. Hijnstes imitates in its appearance the sea snakes, and is often 

 taken with them, and with eels, in their nets by the Malay fishermen. 

 Herpeton inhabits the Cambodia and other rivers of Farther India, and 

 has a vegetable diet. Most of the other aquatic genera are piscivorus. 



PROTEROGLYPHA. 



I have been able to examine a limited number of species of this 

 superfamily, and must therefore present an imperfect synopsis of the 

 genera. I have examined enough of the species to affirm that they 

 present variations of type similar to those seen among the superfami- 

 lies already considered. All the forms that I have seen have a bifurcate 

 sulcus and all are spinous. 



There are three families, as follows : 



A postfrontal hone; fang grooved Najid^. 



No postfrontal hone ; fang grooved Elapid.e. 



A postfrontal hone ; fang not grooved in front Dendraspid^. 



NAJID^. 



I. Apex of liemipenis smooth, with circular free margin (disciform). 



No solid maxillary teeth; subcaudals one-rowed; hemipenis bifurcate, 



Jcanthophia Daudin. 



II. Apex with calyces (calyculate). 



a. Spinous helow calyces. 



Subcaudals one-rowed; vertebral row enlarged; liemijienis not divided, 



Bungarus Daudin. 

 Subcaudals two-rowed ; vertebral row not enlarged ; poison gland far poste- 

 rior ; hemipenis not divided Adeniojihis Meyer. 



Hemipenis divided ; calyces uot fringed Sepedon Merrem. 



