2558 



SCALED REPTILES 



Ceylon and Southeastern Asia to the eastward of the Bay of Bengal; the common 

 red snake ranging from Burma and Cochin-China to the Malayan region. This 

 snake, which attains a length of about two and one-half feet, is either brown or 

 black above, with or without light alternating crossbars; the under parts being 

 either white with black transverse bars or spots, or black with white bands, while 

 the under surface of the tail is of a brilliant vermilion hue. All the snakes of this 

 genus are burrowing reptiles, seldom showing themselves above the surface of the 

 ground, and feeding on insects, worms, and the smaller mammals. In common 

 with their allies, they have the body covered with polished, rounded scales, 



CORAI. CYLINDER SNAKE. 

 (One-half natural size.) 



which (in conformity with their burrowing habits) are scarcely larger on the upper 

 than on the lower aspect, although becoming wider on the inferior surface of the 

 tail. 



The third genus of the group (Anomalo chilus} , represented by a single spe- 

 cies from Sumatra, differs from the preceding in the absence of a groove on the chin. 



THE SHIELD TAILS 

 Family UROPELTIDSE 



The snakes of this family, while agreeing with the boas and pythons in the 

 structure of the lower jaw, are sharply distinguished by the loss of all traces of the 



