36 



PART II.~CLASSIFr;pATIO.N. 



CHAPTER I— Pkinciples. 

 The following synopsis of the families of Indian snakes 

 with their sub-divisions is here presented in order to give 

 a general idea of the system of classification in use, before 

 entering into the details of the Descriptive Catalogue : 



ORDER. OPHIDIA. 



First Sub-order. HARMLESS COLUBRINE SNAKES. 



(Serpentes colubriformes non-venenati.) 



A. Snakes of low type. Ventral shields absent or 

 NARROW. Head shielding defective or abnormal. 



Fam. I. Typhlopid.*;. Blind Snakes. Genera. 

 Small and quite cylindrical, resembling at np^Nna. 

 first sight earth-worms rather than snakes. Onyehocephaiut. 

 Eyes rudimentary, no ventral shields, forepart 

 of the head covered with shields of a peculiar 

 type. Rudimentary hind limbs, hidden. Bur- 

 rowing snakes, rarely appearing above ground. 



Fam. II. ToETRiciD.a;. Short-tailed Earth snakes. 

 Body cylindrical ; tail very short, conical. Cj/linircphii. 

 Eye small. Head shielded, but only one pair 

 of frontals; ventral shields beginning to appear. 

 Palatine teeth ; Median groove at the chin. 

 Rudimentary hind limbs visible. BurrowiDg 

 snakes, occasionally found above ground. 



