SNAKES. 35 
Sub-order II. CoLtusprinre Snakes. CoOLUBRINIA. 
Ophidia, Heterodermia, Colubrinia (Alepia and Diplepia), and 
Homodermia (Platuria), Rafin. Anal. Nat. 77, 1815. Serpents 
propres non Venéneux, et S. Venéneux a Crochets accompagnes 
dautre dents, Cuvier, R. A. ed. 2, ii. 74,96. Serpentia Gulones 
Innocui, et 8S. G. Vénénati pars, Merrem, Tent. 81, 141. Les 
Serpents non Véenéneux, Les Serpents Vénéneux Serpentiformes, 
et Les Serpents des Mer, Schlegel, Phys. Serp. ii. 1, and 440, 488. 
Reptilia Hysioidea, Pythonoidea, Colubroidea and Bungaroidea, 
Fitz. N. Class. 26,32. Harmless snakes, Gray, Syn. Brit. Mus. 
Fam. III. Hypripz. 
The ventral shields narrow, hexagonal or band-like: the hinder 
limbs not developed: the eyes and nostrils superior, vertical, the 
latter valvular, generally placed in the middle of a shield, with a 
slit or groove to its outer edge: fangs moderate, intermixed with 
the maxillary teeth: pupil small, round: tail compressed or conical. 
Living in the sea or salt-water lakes, or in fresh-water 
Hydri and Pseudo-Vipera, Oppell, Rept.1811. Hydride, Gray, 
Ann, Phil. x. 1825,206. Zool. Misc. 59,1842. Bonap. Amp. Eur. 9. 
Bungaroidea, § 1, and Colubroidea pars, Fitz. N. Class. Rept. 32, 
54, 1826. Hydrophide, Bove, Isis, xx. 510, 1827. Serpens d’eau 
douce (part), and Serpents de Mer, Schlegei, Phys. Serp. 332, 488. 
(Ophidia Homodermia), Platuria, Rafin. Anal. Nat. 77, 1815. 
Chalinophidia (fam. Hydrophis) and Hemiophidia (fam. Pelophis, 
and Nectophis), Fitz. Consp. Ophid. 1846. 
Synopsis of the Genera. 
I. Tail compressed (except in Acrochordus). Belly keeled, with 
two rows of small scale-like shields, often united together into a 
single, rather broad, six-sided shield. 
A. Head shielded to the nape. Nasal shields very large, with a large, 
operculated, superior nostril in their hinder edge; the frontal 
shields two pairs, small; loreal shield none ; labial shields high, 
large. Hydrina. 
