48 OPHIDIAN EEPTILES. 



to bite, and themselves very commonly become the prey of the 

 smaller Elapidce, certain of which indeed bear considerable 

 resemblance in appearance to the Calamaridce, but are readily 

 distinguished by possessing the poison-fangs. 



The Oligodontidce are another extensive family of small ground 

 Snakes, which are peculiar to South-eastern Asia and its great 

 archipelago. They conduct to the terrene genera of the great 

 family Colubridce. 



The Colubridce are divided by Dr. Giinther into ground Colu- 

 brines {Coronellince), true Colubrines {Colubrince) , bush Colu- 

 brines (DryadincR), and fresh-water Colubrines {NatriciiicB) ; and 

 he remarks that " they are found in every part of the temperate 

 and tropical regions, but are only scantily represented in Australia 

 and in the islands of the Pacific. The species are so numerous 

 and show such a gradual passage between extreme forms, that, 

 although genera can be easily characterized, it is almost im- 

 possible to distinguish wider groups by definite characters." 

 Among them the Coronellince approximate the immediately pre- 

 ceding families, and, like them, live on the ground, and are 

 not generally of brilliant colouring, though a few species which 

 frequent grassy plains are of a bright green colour. The Colu- 

 brina "form, as it were," writes Dr. Giinther, "the nucleus of 

 the whole sub- order of innocuous Snakes : they are typical forms, 

 not characterized by the excessive development of some particular 

 organ, but by the fairness of the proportions of all parts. Yet 

 some of them have a more slender body than others which always 

 live on the ground ; they are land Snakes, but swim well when 

 driven into the water, or climb when in search of food. They 

 are of moderate or rather large size." In the Dryadince the form 

 is elongate and somewhat compressed, indicating their climbing 

 propensities ; they have the body not so excessively slender as in 

 the true Tree Snakes, to which they lead off. They are much 

 more numerous in the New World than in the Old, and their 

 ground-colour is very commonly green. The Natricince are gene- 

 rally not very elongate or compressed, and most of them have keeled 

 scales. They freely enter the water in pursuit of their food, 

 which consists chiefly of frogs and fishes. All the Snakes of the 

 preceding three sub- families overpower their prey by throwing 



