So now we have an idea of the relation of snakes to 

 other living creatures. 



To present this clearly we may make use of a table of 

 the sub-kingdom vertebrates as follows : — 



Section. Class. Order. 



Fish-like animals / Fishes. 

 (IchthyopsidaJ. \ Amphibians. 



Lizard -like animals 

 (Sauropsida). 



( Tortoises. 

 D ... 3 Snakes. 



Reptiles ... -^Lizards. 



{ Crocodiles. 



Birds. 

 Mammals (Mammalia) Mammals. 



The order snakes, like all other orders, is divided up into 

 families ; each of these families is divided up into genera and 

 finally each genus is divided into species. The scientific 

 name of any animal, or plant for that matter, is the name of 

 its genus followed by that of its species. 



However, in this little book we shall not go into the 

 matter of dividing up the order snakes into families. The 

 subject is rather a difficult one and involves the use of a lot 

 of long names and the classification is not of much use to the 

 ordinary reader as it is based almost entirely on obscure 

 differences in the bones of the head. 



So all I have done is to divide up the snakes into 

 four easily distinguished groups {vide Chapter IV) according 

 to the idea suggested by Major Wall in his book. 



Wherever possible I have given each snake its English 

 name and have appended the scientific name as well, to 

 make reference to other ,books easy. 



CHAPTER II. 



DESCRIPTION OF A TYPICAL SNAKE. 

 Let us now take an ordinary, common snake, such as a 

 cobra or dhaman and thoroughly examine it. 



