INTRODUCTION ix 



typical lizard, scaly-coated with four legs and tapering 

 tail, is familiar, but many forms are limbless, moving 

 about like snakes; as a rule, the serpentine forms may 

 be distinguished from the snakes by the presence with 

 the former, of functional eyelids. 



Order Ophidia. The Snakes. Over one thousand, 

 seven hundred species are recognized. The distribution 

 embraces tropical, semi-tropical and temperate parts of 

 the globe; they are more abundant in the temperate 

 regions than the lizards. Snakes have no functional 

 eyelids — the eyes being always open. The greater 

 number of species are terrestrial ; many are arboreal, sub- 

 terraneous, semi-aquatic, or marine. The poisonous 

 species are in the minority. It is wrong to imagine a 

 poisonous snake may be told from the harmless species 

 by a thick body and flattened, distinct head. 



Thus we have a general idea of the Class Reptilia. 

 In each of the four Parts of this work the classification 

 of the respective Orders is treated in detail. 



In compiling his descriptions the author has sought 

 to employ the most simple phraseology possible, for his 

 endeavor has been to create a book that may be readily 

 comprehended by the beginner. Part IV, dealing with 

 the snakes, is the most elaborate, both in description of 

 structure and habits^ as well as in illustrations. As in 

 other works the serpents have received the least atten- 

 tion, the author has decided to give them here a generous 

 share. Of serpents there are many important things to 

 be told. Some of them are beneficial to man; others 

 dangerous or fatal, and these latter it is well to recog- 

 nize when encountered. The series of illustrations of 

 the poisonous serpents is thoroughly complete; it will 

 be noted that their variety of form — some of them grace- 

 fully slender — at once shatters many fallacious theories. 



