THE PRINCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOUS SNAKES 101 
VIPERIDÆ, on the other hand, are extremely numerous, and 
belong exclusively to the subfamily Croraninm; there are no 
VIPERIN 2. 
I.—COLUBRID&. 
(a) Elaps. 
(Fig. 65.) 
The characters of this genus are: Maxillary bones very short, 
extending beyond the palatines, and bearing a pair of large poison- 
Fic. 65.—SKULL or Hlaps marcgravii. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cit.) 
fangs; pterygoid teeth few or absent; mandibular teeth all of 
equal length. No postfrontal bones; præfrontals meeting, or 
narrowly separated on the median line. Head small, not distinct 
