374 



LOWER VERTEBRATES. 



been compared with that of a dog, which animal it further resembles in its habit of 

 snapping at whatever disturbs it. It often secretes itself in the thatched roofs of huts, 

 where it finds a large assemblage of insects. The genus Pareas includes a few species 

 inhabiting Java, and neighboring islands, which have the palatine and mandibular 

 teeth gradually increasing in length from behind forwards. 



The members of the family Scytalid^ are closely related with those of Dipsar 

 didse. But three genera are known. Oxyrhopus cloelia and doliatus are found in 

 Mexico, Hologerrhum inhabits the Philippines, and Scytale South America. 



The family of Ltcodontipje embraces a number of snakes of moderate length, 

 with small eyes and generally vertical pupil. The shields of the head present nothing 

 extraordinary ; the dentition alone being prominently characteristic. The maxillary 

 armament has anteriorly a pair of elongated teeth. 



Fig. 217. — Scytale caronata. 



From the peculiar shape of the pupil of this family it would seem that the mem- 

 bers are nocturnal, yet this is not the case with most, as they feed almost exclusively 

 on skinks, which can only be captured during the day. Some African Lycodonts are, 

 however, nocturnal, feeding on mice. 



The genus Lycodon includes some of the most common snakes of India, L. atcli- 

 cus being perhaps the most abundant. The fangs in the front of the jaws admirably 

 adapt this animal for seizing and retaining the small hard-skinned saurians which 

 form almost its only food. It is a small animal of only about two feet in length. 



The highest family of colubriform ophidians is made up of the wart-snakes, Aceo- 

 CHOEDiD^, which are disposed in three genera. Acrochordus javanicus has the body 

 covered with small, wart-like, tubercular or spiny scales, no shields on the head, and no 

 specialized ventral scutes ; the tail is short and prehensile ; the nostrils close together 

 and at the tip of the snout. It is viviparous, as are the other members of the family, 



