26 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



deadly Snake of India. It is distributed over the whole 

 Continent, and Ceylon, China, and the Malay Peninsula. In the 

 Himalayas it reaches an altitude of 8,000 feet, and extends as far 

 as the Caspian Sea. The largest specimen in the British 

 Museum measures 8 feet 4 inches. Naja bungarus is larger, 

 more dangerous, and fiercer than the Cobra, and fortunately is 

 less common. Its distribution is nearly similar, it feeds princi- 

 pally on Snakes. The African Cobra or Haje is equally poisonous 

 as its Asiatic relative, and, like it, is in the habit of ascending 

 trees in search of prey. It is a good swimmer, and, like the 

 Cobra, takes to the water willingly. Vertebrae of the genus have 

 been found in the Miocene of Steinham, Germany (N. Suevica}. 

 Vertebrae of N. Laurentt, in the bone-breccias of the Pleistocene 

 of Coudes (Puy de Dome), France. 



Hydrophidae These Snakes have small poisonous fangs, the 

 tail compressed and fin-like, adapted fcr swimming, nostrils 

 placed at the top of the head. They are viviparous and marine ; 

 they inhabit the Indian Ocean, the tropical parts of the Pacific, 

 and the Australian Seas. 



Viperidae This family is divided into two very distinct sub- 

 families, the Vipers proper (Viperina), and the Pit- Vipers 

 (C rotalince) ; the Rattle-Snakes belong to this section. Viperince 

 are restricted to the Old World and are most abundant in 

 Africa, the Crotalince to the New World, ranging from the 

 United States to Patagonia. Several species of the Viper are 

 met with in Africa ; the Puff Adder, Clotho arietans, and the 

 Horned Viper, Cerastes vipera. Viper Russellii is a common 

 species and very deadly. The extremity of the tail of the 

 Rattle-Snake Crotalus is furnished with a series of horny plates, 

 loosely articulated together, and when vibrated rapidly makes a 

 rattling warning sound. C. horridus is restricted to North 

 America and C. durissus to South America and to Guiana. 



Colubridae is represented in all the tropical and temperate 

 regions of the world, with the exception of Australia. It is by 

 far the largest Ophidian family and includes more than 200 

 species. It may be divided into three sections, i. Aglypha, all 



