SNAKES. 



19 



The majority of the members of series A. are harmless, but the 

 saliva of the Indian Rat-Snake affects small mammals : most of 

 series B. are venomous, but not dangerously so ; but all the species 



Fig. 17. 

 f pf/ p ste 



pm 



ptf 1 



pm. 



I eo so 



'(/ rv 



B. 



Skull of the Common 



From the left 



'»«. Angular. 

 ar. Articular, 

 bo. Basioccipital. 

 bs. Baslsphenoid. 

 ca. Columella aiiris. 

 d. Dentary. 

 CO. Exoccipital. 

 epg. Ectopterygoid. 



Snake (Tropidonotus natrix). (No. 240- 

 side (A), ahove (B), and helow (C). 



/. Frontal. 



m. Maxillary. 



n. Nasal. 



p. Parietal. 



pi. Palatine. 



j»n. Pricmaxillary. 



jirf. Prefrontal. 



pro. Prootic. 

 pff. Pterygoid. 

 ptf. Postfrontal. 

 q. Quadrate. 

 so. Supraoccipital. 

 ste. Supratemporal. 

 V. Vomer. 



included in C. are deadly. Among the more noticeable specimens 

 belonging to the first group, reference may be made to the common 

 British Snake {Tropidonotus natrix, 240) and a continental variety 



C 2 



