THE SNAKES £81 



The Dipsadomorphince: This extensive subfamily 

 contains, to a moderate extent, groups analogous to 

 those of the Colubrince. A considerable number of the 

 species are much elongated — whip-like — with an ex- 

 tremely slender tail ; among such, except the typical tree 

 snakes, the head may be sharply distinct from the neck 

 and the eyes large, with elliptical pupil — characters im- 

 parting a venomous look notwithstanding the slender 

 body. Terrestrial, subterraneous, strictly arboreal and 

 semi-aquatic habits are displayed in the subfamily. 

 Some of the tropical species are dangerously poisonous 

 to man. 



As examples of extremely slender form we may take 

 the seven species of Himantodes, inhabiting Mexico, 

 Central America and tropical South America. H. 

 cenchoa ranges over the entire area given for the genus. 

 The body is about a yard long, strongly compressed and 

 terminating in an extremely elongated neck not thicker 

 than a goose quill, which surmounts a lumpy, wicked- 

 looking head with huge eyes having vertical pupils. 

 The tail tapers to an almost thread-like point. Snakes 

 of this kind live on trees, not leading the active life of 

 the typical tree serpents: for they are rather sluggish 

 and nocturnal. They hide under strips of loosened bark 

 or in thick clusters of leaves, gliding stealthily forth 

 under cover of darkness in search of sleeping lizards, 

 tree toads, the fat-bodied grubs of insects or the eggs 

 of small species of birds. Fruit steamers, coming to 

 our northern ports, bring many specimens hidden in 

 bunches of bananas. A stowaway of the kind came 

 into the writer's possession, living for three years. 

 During the day it persistently hid under a strip of bark. 

 During the night it roved steadily through the branches 

 in the cage, doubling back the neck into fully half a 



