CHAPTER II. 

 i 



THE OPHIDIA. 



FIRST let us decide their true place in the great ANIMAL 

 KINGDOM that includes such perplexing myriads to be classified. 

 Snakes having, for their size, more vertebra in their spinal column 

 than any other animals, claim, of course, to be assigned to the 

 sub-kingdom VERTEBRATA. And that they are true reptiles is 

 no less evident, therefore they belong to the CLASS REPTILIA. 

 But here arises a question which formerly caused much difference 

 of opinion, on account of the many creatures of a snake-like form 

 that exist ; such as the little slow-worm, which is still known as 

 anguis, though not a snake. There are also some frogs (as the 

 coecilia\ a few fishes, and many lizards, even some very large 

 worms, all of which are snake-like in form and without limbs. 

 For us of to-day these difficulties have been cleared away, the 

 true snakes have been separated from the rest, and the question, 

 therefore, "What kind or ORDER of reptiles are they?" is 

 answered by ORDER OPHIDIA. Next there come sub-divisions 

 and sub-orders. Snakes are divided into Venomous and Non- 

 venomous, and are arranged in three sub-orders ; viz., Colubrines^ 

 the harmless snakes ; Viperines, the vipers ; and the Venomous 

 Columbrines ; the latter, having the form and aspect of harm- 

 less snakes, though venomous. You may easily discern the 

 great difference between these latter and the vipers on your next 

 visit to the Zoological Gardens, The Cobra and the Ophiophagus 

 are slender and symmetrical, like the harmless Indian river snakes 

 on the opposite side of the Reptilium and our English ring-snake ; 

 and unless you knew them already you would not suppose them 

 to be so deadly. But the African Puff-adder, and the Rattle- 

 snakes, thick, heavy, flat-headed, and rough-scaled, seem to betray 

 their venomous qualities at once. Thus the three sub-divisions 

 are 



1. OPHIDIA COLUBRIFORMES. 



2. OPHIDIA COLUBRIFORMES VENENOSI. 



3. OPHIDIA VIPERIFORMES. 



