CHAP. XIX.] 



REPTILES. 



375 



The Oligodontidae are a small family of Ground Snakes which 

 have been separated from the Calamariidse, and, with the excep- 

 tion of a few species, are confined to the Oriental region. The 

 best characterised genera are : — 



Oligodon (12 sp.), India, Ceylon, and Philippines ; and, Simotes 

 (24 sp.), India to China and Borneo. In addition to these, 

 Achalinus is founded on a single species from Japan ; and 

 Teleolepis consists of three species from North and South America. 



Family 7.— COLUBEID^E. (50 Genera, 270 Species.) 



The Colubrine Snakes are universally distributed over the 

 globe, and they reach the extreme northern Limits of the order. 

 They are, however, almost absent from Australia, being there 

 represented only by a few species of Tropidonotus and Coronella 

 in the northern and eastern districts. This great family consists 

 of four divisions or sub-families : the Coronellinse (20 genera, 

 100 species), the Colubrinse (16 genera, 70 species), the Drya- 

 dinse (7 genera, 50 species), and the Natricinse (7 genera, 50 

 species). The more important genera of Colubridse are the 

 following : — 



Ablabes, Coronella, Ptyas, Coluber, and Tropidonotus — all 

 have a very wide distribution, but the two last are absent 

 from South America, although Tropidonotus reaches Guatemala ; 

 Tomodon, Xenodon, Liopis, Stenorhina, Erythrolampus, Elapoch- 

 rus, Callirhinus, Enophrys, and Dromicus — are confined to the 

 Neotropical region; Hypsirhynchus, Cryptodacus, Jaltris, and 

 Coloragia, are confined to the West Indian Islands ; Chilomenis- 

 cus, Conophis, Pituophis, and Ischcognathus, to North America, 

 the latter going as far south as Guatemala ; Compsosoma, 

 Zamenis, Zaocys, Atretium, Xenochrophys, and fferpetoreas, are 

 peculiarly Oriental, but Zamenis extends into South Europe; 



Vol. II.— 25 



