CHAPTER IV. 



Division I. Aglypha. The Solid-Toothed Snakes. 



Family IV. COLUBRID^. 



Sub-family I. Colubrin^. 



There are about looo species or kinds included in this sub- 

 family of snakes, scattered over the various temperate and 

 tropical regions of the world. Of this great number only twenty- 

 eight species inhabit South Africa. All of this sub-family are 

 known as the Aglypha, because their teeth are quite solid, 

 showing no traces of grooving. They are consequently all 

 non- venomous, and should not be interfered with, for they do 

 an immense amount of service in ridding the country of rats, 

 mice, and noxious insects. Some species are oviparous, that is, 

 they lay eggs. Others are viviparous, which means they give 

 birth to young. 



After reading this book and carefully studying the pictures 

 showing the heads and teeth of the three typical kinds of snakes, 

 viz. the solid-toothed non-venomous snakes ; the back-fanged 

 more or less venomous snakes ; and the front-fanged, typically- 

 venomous snakes, it should be quite easy for any student, by 

 means of a strong magnifying glass, or low power microscope, 

 to identify a snake of any of these three divisions. If grooved 

 or hollow fangs are found in the front of the top jaw, then the 

 snake is one of the typical venomous kind. If there are two or 

 three grooved fangs at the posterior end of the upper row of teeth, 

 the snake belongs to the back-fanged kind, which are all more or 

 less poisonous. All those snakes possessing solid teeth, without 

 any pronounced grooving, are as harmless as lizards, as far as 

 venomous properties are concerned. 



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