206 THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE OPHIDIA. 



similar to Homalopsis. I find that the flouncing of the penial structure is not sufficient 

 to define the group as I at first thought. 



I. Sulcus sperraaticus undivided. 



a. Teeth continuous, longer posteriorly. 

 Hemipenis spinous to apex, flounces indistinct; pupil round, nostril in prenasal ; fusiform. *Elapops Gthr. 



aa. Teeth interrupted ; longer in front. 

 Hemipenis flounced at apex ; pupil erect ; colubriform Lycodon Boie. 



II. Sulcus spermaticus double. 



a. Teeth longer anteriorly. (Hemipenis bifurcate.) 



Hemipenis spinous to apex, not flounced ; nostril in prenasal \ Lycopliidium Fitz. 



Hemipenis spinous, flounced ; anterior teeth separated from posterior by a space Boaodon D. & B. 



Hemipenis spinous, flounced ; maxillary teeth in a continuous series Lamprophis Fitz. 



aa. Teeth not longer anteriorly. Hemipenis not flounced. 



Hemipenis not bifurcate Homalosoma Wagl. 



Hemipenis bifurcate Pseudaspis Cope. 



aaa. Teeth much longer posteriorly. (Hemipenis bifurcate.) 



Colubriform ; rostral normal ; spines very sparse ^Dromicodryas Boul. 



Coronelliform ; rostral trihedral, prominent ; spines very numerous Anomalodon Jan. 



The ahove genera are all Ethiopian, except Lycodon, which is Oriental. 



We have here a well-defined and homogeneous group, which is distributed in the 

 Northern Continents and the Oriental region. A species is said to be found in the 

 Ethiopian, but I have not yet been able to examine its penial characters. I have 

 ascertained that the genus Ablabes (type A. baliodirus by exclusion) belongs to this 

 subfamily, and is characterized by an entirely unique penial structure, which places it 

 in a section by itself. 



I. Enlarged basal spines in symmetrical fasciculi. Sulcus undivided. 



Two fasciculi on each side of the sulcus, the proximal pair nearly surrounding the base ; both containing 

 spines which are closely packed and issue from their fleshy margins ; hemipenis undivided ; scuta 

 normal . . .Ablates D. & B. 



II. Enlarged spines isolated and more or less unsymmetrical. 

 A. Sulcus undivided. 



a. Two large apical papillae. 

 Scuta normal ; anal entire Tropidoclonmm Cope. 



aa. No apical papilla?. 



/S. No prcocular plate. 



One internasal ; anal divided ; scales keeled Haldea B. & G. 



Two internasals ; scales keeled ; anal divided Amphardis Cope. 



Two internasals ; scales smooth ; anal divided Virginia B. & G. 



/3/J. Preocular present. 

 No loreal ; anal divided ; two internasals Storeria B. & G. 



* Vertebra? not seen. f L. laterale Hallow, examined. % Lianthera Cope, Amer. Naturalist, 1893, p. 482. 



