THE SNAKES 291 



lies, and the coral snakes of the New World. Many of 

 the most deadly known serpents belong to this subfamily. 

 The most diabolical in temper and terrible of them all is 

 as slender of body with a head as innocent in appearance 

 as to be noted among well-known genera of whollj^ in- 

 nocuous snakes, Spilotes, Ophiholus and Coronella. 



The cobras and their immediate allies throw their 

 bodies into a weird posture of defense, striking viciously 

 when annoj'ed. The greater number of the Elapine 

 snakes evince the nonchalant demeanor of innocuous ser- 

 pents. If handled, they turn and bite treacherously with 

 a chewing motion, making a series of perforations with 

 the fangs. Their slender, shining bodies and pretty col- 

 ors are unfortunately liable to mislead the novice as 

 to character. The New World is singularly free of 

 such reptiles, a single genus representing the subfamily ; 

 while all of the members are so similarty colored it is not 

 difficult to recognize them. India, JNIalaysia and Africa 

 are infested with Elapine snakes, but their headquarters 

 must be given as Australia and New Guinea. They 

 constitute the ophidian fauna of the former great 

 island with the exception of a few burrowing snakes, 

 small pythons and several species of Coluhrime. 



It would be practicably impossible to construct a key 

 enabling the student to recognize the Old World Ela- 

 pince as compared with the many harmless snakes. The 

 former, however, are usuallj'' lacking in the loreal plate, 

 a small shield on each side of the head between the an- 

 terior eye plate (or plates) and the plate bordering the 

 nostril to the rear ; it should be understood, though, that 

 manj^ harmless snakes have a similar scalation. 



The fangs of the Elapine snakes are short, stout, al- 

 ways erect, and situated on the forward part of the jaw. 



