39 

 Fam. XII. Lycodontid^. Harmless-faTiged Snakes. 

 Head depressed ; sDout. spafculate and flat, ivcodon. 



-fp ,f 11 . , Titragonotoma.' 



jCiye small, generally with vertical pupil. A Leptorhytaon. 

 large fang in front of the maxillary and mandi- dreaipU. 

 hie, but not grooved or hollow. 



Fam. XIII. CoLUBRiDiE. 



This family comprises all those harmless 

 snakes which da not present any striking cha- 

 racter, are fair and moderate in their propor- 

 tions, and have none of the qualities necessary 

 for their admission into other families. Their 

 head-shields are normal, with the exception 

 of a few species on the debatable ground 

 betwixt this family and the Calamaridse ; they 

 have not the compressed and slender body of 

 the tree-snakes, yet some of them climb and 

 have a green coloration ; they have not the 

 superior nostrils and aquatic build of the true 

 fresh- water snakes, yet some of them are am- 

 phibious. They are divided into the following 

 groups : — 



Oroujp I. — Cqeonellina. Ground Colubers. 

 Of small size, with smooth scales : in some ■<**'«*«». 



. Cydophit. 



genera aberrant species approach the Calama- ooontomut. . 



., . . /•.! ji'ii- Nympkophidium. 



ridae m imperfect nead-shielding. MiacMstodon. 



Coronella. 



Group II. — CoLUBKiNA. Agile Colubers. 

 Attain a large size. Their scales are keeled, ^"/«*«r- 



° . ' Maphti. 



they are active enough to climb and swim on Compsosoma. 



Cynophis. 



occasions, and are swift in their movements Piyas. 



Xenelaphis. 



along the ground. Zamenis. 



