20 



REPTILE GALLERY. 



The Burrowing or Blind Snakes {Typhlopida and Glauconiidm) 

 are small worm-like species, with teeth in one of the jaws only, and 

 without enlarged ventral plates. They are numerous in Africa and 

 India^ though occurring also in tropical America and Australia ; 

 one species is found in South-eastern Europe. 



The Pythonince, or Kock Snakes, are found in the hottest 

 parts of Africa, Asia, and Australia, and attain a very large size 

 (from 8 to 24 feet). They climb as well as swim, most of 

 them preferring the neighboui hood of water. Like the Boas, to 

 which they are closely related, and from which they differ chiefly 

 in the presence of intermaxillary teeth, they overpower their prey 

 by constriction. The Pythons of Africa, Asia, and of Australia 

 represent this family. 



The Boinee, or Boas and Eryces, are mostly from the tropical parts , 

 of the New World. The Anaconda {Eunectes murinus), which 

 grows to 30 feet, is the largest Snake known, the true Boa con- 

 strictor being a much smaller species (Case 24). 



The Coluhridm form the great bulk of the Order, and are 

 found in every part of the temperate and tropical regions, but 



Fig. 15. 



^^ 



Fig. 16. 



Smooth Snake (Cm'onella 

 Icevii), 



Common Snake (Tropidcmoim 

 natrix). 



are only scantily represented in the islands of the Pacific. To 

 the group Colubrinae belong the Smooth Snake (Coronella Icevis) 



