SERPENTS. ,-^53 



Of the four American species, T. lonffissimus is a doubtful form, which has not 

 been met with since the time of its description by Diimerol and Bibron. T. perditus 

 and T. basiinaculatus are Mexican forms in which llie eyes are invisible. The gen- 

 eral color of the latter is yellow, but the more dorsal scales are minutely spotted at 

 their bases, while the head and tail are immaculate. T. cmunctus is very long and 

 slender, though the tail is not longer than the diameter of the body. The color is 

 silvery brown, the snout and lips light yellow. It is found from Panama northward. 

 Australia has nearly a dozen species of this genus, most of wliich have been named 

 after men who have distinguished themselves as herpetologists. They are all under- 

 ground forms, chiefly feeding on ants and their eggs. In burrowing they are greatly 

 facilitated by the general form of their body, which is of a larger diameter posteriorlv 

 and is terminated by a short acuminate tail. 



A second genus, Anomalepsis, characterized by having th»! crown shields regiilarlv 

 arranged, is found in Mexico. A. niexicanus is long and slender, with tail like Tv- 

 phlops, and eyes visil)le through the semi-transparent ocular shield. The laljials are 

 only two in number, though the previous genus is provided with four. The color is 

 reddish-brown, of a lighter shade below; the yellowish-white border of the individual 

 scales gives the animal the appearance of being reticulated. The genus Stenostoma 

 is provided with teeth in the lower jaw, and the shields of the crown are reduced to 

 scales. The ocular is large and transparent, displaying the eye beneath. Members of 

 this genus .are quite abundant in Mexico, a form having the scales arranged in four- 

 teen longitudinal rows, the two labials separated by the ocular, and the infra-labials 

 four, inh.al)its Texas, and is ki^own as S. diilce. Allied to this is S. rubellum, which 

 has five infralabials and reaches a length of eight inches. 



SuB-OkDEE II. — COLUBRIFORMIA. 



This group embraces all the harmless ophidians except the forms already treated 

 under the head of Opoterodonta. As a general rule these serpents have the maxillary 

 and niandibulary, as well as the p.alatinc and pterygoid bones, well provided with 

 small recurved teeth, and in some forms those of the mandible, posteriorly, may 

 become fang-like and conduct poison from a venom gland. Such forms are, however, 

 rare, and, thougli evidently ])oisonous, are not regarded as being dangerous. The sev- 

 eral members present a great variety of form, and can more easily be distinguished 

 from other sub-orders than they can be compi-ehensively defined as members of a 

 single group circumscribed by distinctive characters. The colubriform snakes are 

 found in the temperate regions, usually as terrestrial forms, while in the tropics 

 they are not only found on the ground, but many are arboreal. Aquatic forms 

 are abundant in some localities. Not only are colubriform sn.akes beneficial in 

 destroying vermin, such as mice and rats in the southern states, and the 

 troublesome ])ouched-gophers, Geomys bursarius, in the West, but some of these in- 

 nocuous forms do not hesitate to battle with the most poisonous Solenoglyjihs, which 

 they often defeat. 



As before said, though the majority of coluliriloriu snakes are liarnilcss, and are 

 only too glad to retreat from the sight of a human being, a few arc aggressive. Some 

 of the tree-snakes, Dendrophida?, do not hesitate to spitefully attack travelers as they 

 pass unsuspectingly through the jungles, and often — .as they choose the eye as the 

 point of attack — inflict dangerous wounds. The pythons have been known to attack 

 vol.. in. — 2.3 



