14. ELAPID.T. 



Genus 45. Micrurus 



Elaps Schneider, Hist, .■\mphib., Vol. II, i8oi,p. 289 (part); Gunther, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1859, p. 48; Boulenger, Cat. Snakes 

 Brit. Mus., Vol. Ill, 1896, p. 4ii- 



Micrurus Wacler, in Spix, Serp. Brasii., 1824, p. 48 (type, .r/'u//'). 



The body is cylindrical, elongate, with rather short cylin- 

 dro-conic tail. The head is small and not distinct from the 

 neck. The snout is short and rounded. The head plates 

 are normal. The nasal plates are distinct. There is no 

 loreal. Preocular, postocular and temporal plates are 

 present. The scales on the body are smooth, in fifteen rows, 

 without pits. The anal plate usually is divided. The uro- 

 steges are in two series throughout or in part. The eye is 

 small, with vertically elliptic or subelliptic pupil. The maxil- 

 lary bone is very short, and carries no teeth behind the large, 

 anterior, poison fangs. 



The numerous species of this genus all are American, 

 and occur from the United States to Brazil and Bolivia. 

 Two species have been found in this country, but only one 

 of these has been secured within the geographical limits of 

 this work. Most of the species are brightly colored, with 

 red and black and yellow rings. 



"The functional fang in Elaps fulvius is followed by 

 reserve fangs of the same structure as the functional one, 

 but successively smaller. The functional fang is solidly 

 united to the maxillary bone, being directed backward at a 

 permanent angle of about 45 degrees with the latter. Al- 

 though comparatively smaller than the fangs in the crotalid 

 snakes, that of Elaps is large enough to distinguish it at the 

 first glance as different from the solid teeth of the palate and 

 of the lower jaws. In front, at the base of the fang, the 

 opening of the canal is distinctly visible, and on the convex, 

 or anterior, surface of the fang is a shallow groove. The 



