266 SNAKES OF CEYLON. 



Sub-family 5 Dipsadomorphiinae. 



(Named from the type genus Dipsadomorphus.) 



General Characters (from Indian 'species). — Head small 

 to moderate, elongate or broad. Snout short, moderate, or 

 long, with or without canthus, with or without a pointed 

 rostral appendage. Eye moderate to large ; the pupil round, 

 horizontal, or vertical. Nostril lateral, small, or moderate. 

 Neck moderately or strongly constricted. Body short, 

 moderate, or elongate ; cylindrical or compressed. Belly 

 rounded or keeled. Tail short, moderate, or long. 



Habits. — Terrestrial or arboreal. Active. 



Food. — Mammals, birds, reptiles, batrachians. 



Breeding. — Oviparous or viviparous. 



Poison. — Feebly poisonous, the bite producing at the 

 worst some trivial local effects and no constitutional symp- 

 toms. 



Lepidosis. — -Head covered with large shields, conforming to 

 the Colubrine type. Loreal : Usually present. Sublinguals : 

 Two pairs. 



Gostals : Longer than broad ; rectif orm or some of the 

 lateral rows oblique ; with or without apical pits ; keeled or 

 smooth. Vetebrals enlarged or not. Ventrals : Bounded or 

 keeled. Anal : Entire or divided. Subcaudals : Divided. 



Dentition. — Maxillary: Opisthoglyphous ; isodont or aniso- 

 dont ; syncranterian or diacranterian ; anododont, oinododont 

 or dinododont ; kumatodont or coryphcdont. Palatine : 

 Isodont or scaphiodont. Pterygoid : Isodont or scaphiodont. 

 Mandibular : Isodont or anisodont ; anododont, oinododont, 

 or dinododont ; scaphiodont. 



Distribution. — Europe, Africa, America, Asia to the Philip- 

 pines. 



Of the many genera five are represented within Indian 

 limits, and three in Ceylon. 



