75 



C. cknmkix, Kuhl. 



Ventrals 188-193, subc. 53-60. Black, completely encircled 

 by white rings. 

 Ceylon. 



C. TRAVANCOBiCA, Beddomc. 

 Like Lycodon striatus, but with entire subcaudals. 



Family XIII.— COLTJBEID^. 



This family is a general refuge for snakes with none of 

 the characters necessary for their allotment to the other 

 families. Their head-shields are normal, they have not the 

 exceptional dentition and head-markings of the Oligodon- 

 tidse, they have no trace of fangs, they have not the com- 

 pressed and slender body of the tree-snakes, nor the hydro- 

 phidian build of the true fresh-water snakes. Nevertheless, 

 several genera lead off to other families. Some of the group 

 Coroiiellina (grovelling colubers) are hardly removed from 

 the Calamaridse, the group Dryadina (bush colubers) lead 

 off to the tree-snakes, and the group Natricina (water 

 colubers) are a transition towards the Homalopsidse. The 

 other group, Colubrina, although ground-snakes, are exceed- 

 ingly agile, and able to swim and climb with facility ; they 

 are the highest type of the Subrorder of harmless snakes. 

 Eye moderate or large, pupil round. 



Group I.— CORONELLINA. 



Colubrine snakes of small size with smooth scales ; some 

 genera approach the Calamarid^ in imperfection of the 

 head-shields. 



ABLABES, D. and B., Othr. 



Body rather slender ; head moderate, more or less distinct 

 from the neck ; tail moderate. Head-shields normal except 

 in A. fusGus and bicolor. Nostril between 2 nasals ; 1 loreal ; 



