SNAKES. 



209 



B. Venomous Snakes with grooved fangs in front (p. 1). 



Fam. XIII. ELAPSID^. 



Head generally quadrangular, with flat crown and moderate 

 or short muzzle. Loreal none ; generally one, sometimes two, 

 anterior, two or three (exceptionally four) posterior oculars. 

 Scales smooth, rather round or ovoid, sometimes those of the 

 vertebral line larger, subcaudals entire or two-rowed. Grooved 

 fangs immoveable, sometimes without other smaller smooth ones 

 behind. 



Serpens venimeux colubriformes, Schlegel, Ess. ii. p. 431. 

 Conocerques, Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 1187. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



1. Glyphodon. a series of smaller teeth behind the fang. 



Posterior frontal in contact with two labial shields. Au- 

 stralia. 



2. Demansia. a series of smaller teeth behind the fang. 



Rostral shield moderate ; loreal replaced by four shields ; 

 subcaudals two-rowed. Australia. 



3. HoPLOCEPHALus. Scalcs of back cqual ; subcaudals one- 



rowed. Australia. 



4. PsEUDECHis. One or two smooth teeth behind the fang; 



neck not distensible ; anal bifid ; subcaudals anteriorly 

 entire, posteriorly bifid. New Holland. 



5. Hamadryas. One or two smooth teeth behind the fang ; 



neck not distensible ; three pairs of very large shields 

 round the occipital shields. East Indian Islands. 



6. BuNGARUS. Scales of the vertebral line hexagonal; sub- 



caudals entire. East Indies. 



7. PsEUDOHAJE. One or two smooth teeth behind the fang. 



Scales of the vertebral line hexagonal ; subcaudals bifid. 



8. Naja. One or two smooth teeth behind the fang; neck 



distensible ; scales of the back equal ; rostral shield mo- 

 derate. East Indies ; Africa. 



9. Cyrtophis. No other tooth behind the fang ; rostral 



very large, covering the whole front of snout. S. Africa. 



10. PsEUDONAJA. A series of smooth teeth behind the fang ; 

 neck not distensible; rostral large, far produced back- 

 wards ; loreal replaced by four shields ; one anterior, two 

 posterior oculars. New Holland. 



