( 121 ) 

 Order OPHIDIA. 



Body elongate limbless, or with rudimentary pelvdc styles, 

 scarcely visible externally. The ribs performing the function of 

 locomotion. The rami of the mandible united in front by an 

 telastic ligament. Eyelids none. Penis double, lodged (as in 

 lizards) at the base of the tail, armed with blunt spines, tubercles, 

 and digitiform processes, imperforate, eversile, with an external 

 groove at the base for the conveyance of the semen. The 

 renal secretion passed per cloacam. The majority of terrestrial 

 species harmless, the Pelagic species, being extremely poison- 

 ous without exception. 



Ophidians are divided into three sub-orders. 

 1st, Harmless Colubeine Snakes. 

 2nd, Venomous Colubeine Snakes. 

 3rd, ViPEEiNE Snakes. 



Sub-order 1. Harmless Colubeine Snakes. 

 Poison gland none. 



Family TvPHLOPiDiE. 



Head blunt, not distinct from the neck. Tail short. Eyes 

 rudimentary, covered by the head shields. Scales polished 

 imbricate. Forepart of the head covered by large shields. 

 Upper labials four. Cleft of the mouth inferior, very smaU, a 

 few teeth in the upper jaw only. Rudimentary pelvic limbs 

 hidden beneath the skin. 



Ttphlops, Dumeril et Bibron. 



Snout covered with large shields ; rostal large rounded, blunt. 

 Prseocular present. 



a. Fronto-nasal in contact with the second labial, 



T. Horsfieldii, Gray. 

 The width of the upper part of the rostral is one-third that 

 ■of the head. Nasal united with the fronto-nasal above the 

 ■nostril. (In the closely allied Pinang species nigro-albus these 



