ZOOLOGICAL 



37 



ORDER CASUARIIFORMES (21 Species). 



DROMJEIDJE (Emus ; 2 Species). Plate 18, Map vi. 



The Emus are represented at the present day by two species, which are 

 entirely confined to Australia. The Common Emu (Dromseus novse- 

 hollandise) inhabits the interior of the eastern portion of that country, 

 having become, through incessant persecution, extremely rare, and in danger 

 of complete extinction. In former times its range was more extensive, and 

 it even inhabited Tasmania and the Islands in Bass Strait. In Western 

 Australia its place is taken by the second species, known as the Spotted 

 Emu (D. irroratus), a more slender bird, whose feathers are barred with dark 

 grey and white. Both species are sometimes placed in the same family with 

 the Cassowaries, from which, however, they differ in the absence of the 

 bony prominence of the skull, in having no wattles on the neck, and in the 

 still more rudimentary condition of the wings, which are without the bare 

 quills. Moreover, the Emus inhabit sandy plains or open country rather 

 than the wooded districts tenanted by the Cassowaries. 



CASUARIID^: (Cassowaries; 19 Species). Plate 18, Map vi. 



The Cassowaries are only found in New Guinea, New Britain, 

 Ceram, the Aru Islands and a narrow band of country in the ex- 

 treme north-eastern portion of Australia. They are large and hand- 

 some birds like the Ostriches, but inhabit a different kind of country, 

 preferring as a rule districts which are rather densely wooded. They 

 are remarkable in having a large bony prominence at the top of the 

 skull, and in the neck being naked and sometimes furnished with 

 brightly-coloured wattles which hang down, and with the helmet, give 

 the bird a very handsome and characteristic appearance. Their wings 

 are merely represented by a few stout barbless quills. 



ORDER STRUTHIONIFORMES (4 Species). 



STEUTHIONID^I (Ostriches; 4 Species). Plate 18, Map vi. 



The Ostriches are confined to Arabia, Southern Palestine and Africa, 

 ranging in the latter country from the Soudan and Somaliland to 

 the Equator, and also in the southern portion of the continent. For- 

 merly they also occurred in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Central 

 Asia. It is a matter of some doubt whether there is really more than 

 one species. Yet there is a marked difference between the birds (and 

 also in the texture of the shells of their eggs) from Somaliland and 

 the neighbouring regions and those from Southern Africa, while the 

 form found in the north, and ranging from the Soudan to Arabia, is 

 sometimes recognised as a third species, Quite recently (in 1898) a 

 form was described (making the fourth so-called species) from Masai- 

 land. 



These birds are the largest of all living birds, though their size 

 was much exceeded in the past by other birds belonging to allied and 

 now quite extinct families. They always inhabit dry, sandy regions 

 or such as are covered with low stunted bushes. The handsome wing- 

 and tail-feathers are well-known articles of commerce, for the supply 

 of which these birds are much persecuted. In some parts they are 

 extensively domesticated, and the annual value of the plumes disposed 

 of is about a million sterling. 



ORDER RHEIFORMES (3 Species). 



RHEIDJS (Rheas or American Ostriches ; 3 Species). 

 Plate 18, Map vi. 



The members of this family are entirely confined to South America, 

 ranging from North-eastern Brazil to Patagonia. They represent in 

 this continent the well-known Ostriches of Africa, but the plumes 

 furnished by them are much less valuable. The Rheas differ from 

 the true Ostriches in possessing three toes instead of two, and these 

 have claws instead of nails. The neck is well feathered, while there 

 is no distinct tail. 



CLASS REPTILIA (Reptiles). 

 ORDER OPHIDIA (Snakes ; 1917 Species). 



CROTALID^ (Pit-Vipers and Kattlesnakes ; 72 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map i. 



The members of this family are all poisonous, and may be divided into 

 two divisions, viz., the Pit- Vipers and the Rattlesnakes. The former 

 occur in both temperate and tropical America and also in the southern half 

 of Asia ranging as far as Timor and the Moluccas. Some 53 species are 

 known, which belong to two genera. The Rattlesnakes on the other hand, 

 are restricted to the New World, only one of the 19 known species extend- 

 ing into South America. They are distinguished from the Pit-Vipers by 

 the possession of a series of horny bells at the end of the tail which form 

 a rattle the vibration of which may be heard at some distance. 



The Crotalidee may be distinguished from the true Vipers by the presence 

 of a deep pit on each side of the snout, between the nostril and the eye, 

 whence their popular name of " Pit-Vipers." 



VIPERIDJE (Vipers; 54 Species). Plate 19, Map i. 



True Vipers are entirely confined to the Old World, but are widely dis- 

 tributed, occurring throughout the whole of Africa and over the greater 

 part of Europe and temperate and tropical Asia. They are entirely absent 

 from Madagascar and the Australian region. In Britain one species occurs, 

 the Common Viper or Adder, which is widely distributed in England and 

 Scotland but absent from Ireland. 



All Vipers are poisonous, and many of them deadly. About 10 genera 

 have been distinguished. The Puff- Adders (Bitis) are characteristic of 

 Africa, while the genera Atheris (5 species) and Atractaspis (20 species) are 

 practically confined to the tropical and southern portions of that continent. 



AMBLYCEPHALID^I (Blunt-Heads; 46 Species). 

 , Plate 19, Map i. 



The so-called " Blunt-Heads " may be distinguished from their close 

 allies the Colubridse, by the absence of a chin-groove. The principal genus, 

 Leptognathus, contains 29 species, which range over Central and South 

 America, while 12 species of Amblycephalus occur in South-eastern Asia. 

 These Snakes are of moderate or small size, and perfectly harmless, 



HYDROPHID^ (Sea-Snakes; 64 Species). Plate 19, Map i. 



Sea-Snakes are creatures of marine habit, and their headquarters are the 

 Indian and Pacific Oceans. They do not seem to occur on the east coast 

 of Africa, while, on the other hand, a single species is recorded from the 

 western coast of the same continent. One species of Distira, strangely 

 enough, inhabits a fresh- water lake in the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. 

 The principal genera are Hydrophis, with 24 species, and Distira, with 25. 

 All Sea-Snakes are very poisonous. 



ELAPIDiE (Coral-Snakes, Cobras, &c. ; 170 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map ii. 



All the members of this family are poisonous, and some of them very 

 deadly. They are widely distributed, and possess representatives in all the 

 zoogeographical regions. They are especially abundant in Australia, where 

 they constitute the great majority of Snakes, including the notorious species 

 known as the Death- Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus). Over 60 species are 

 known from this region. The Coral-Snakes (Maps) are entirely American, 

 about 40 species being known. Owing to their narrow gape, these snakes, 

 which are brilliantly coloured, are practically harmless to man. Africa, on 

 the other hand, possesses several dangerous species of this family, including 

 several Cobras of the genus Naja. The Asiatic species, about two dozen in 

 number, may be termed in general "Krafts," the best known of which is 

 the justly dreaded Bungarus candidus, which ranges from India and 

 Southern China to Java and Celebes. 



HOMALOPSID^l (Oriental Fresh-water Snakes; 28 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map ii. 



The members of this family inhabit the rivers and estuaries of the 

 Oriental and part of the Australian region, one species occurring also some 

 distance out at sea. The principal genus is Hypsirhina, with 17 species. 



ELACHISTODONTIDuE (Elachistodon ; 1 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map ii. 



This family has been formed for the reception of a very rare species of 

 Snake, which is confined to Bengal and only a few examples of which have 

 been obtained. Nothing definite is known of its habits, but the structure 

 of certain parts of its vertebral column, which resemble similar parts in the 

 South African Dasype/tis, suggests that it also feeds on eggs, which are 

 broken in passing down the gullet and the fragments of the shell afterwards 

 ejected. 



DIPSALOMORPHIDJE (Tree-Snakes and their Allies; 320 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map ii. 



This family is of wide distribution, with over 70 genera. The species 

 are divided about equally between the Old and New Worlds. Although 

 found in Northern and Eastern Australia, only two species occur in that 

 continent, while a similar paucity is characteristic of the eastern part of the 

 Malay Archipelago. Eour species are found in Europe, but only in the 

 extreme south. The best known of these is Coelopeltis monspessulana, which 

 occurs along the borders of the Mediterranean and eastwards to the Caucasus 

 and Persia. It is one of the largest Snakes in Europe, attaining a length of 

 6 feet. South America is the country most richly represented by members 

 of this family, possessing over 90 different species. 



RHACHIODONTID-ffi (Dasypeltis or Egg-eating Snake; 2 Species). 

 Plate 19, Map ii. 



The remarkable Snakes constituting this family, of which only two 

 species are known, are distributed over a wide area in Africa, as our Map 

 shows. They are harmless to man and feed entirely on eggs. Eor this 

 purpose they are provided with a wonderful arrangement of bones which 

 pierce the gullet and are used for breaking the egg, the contents of which 

 are then swallowed and the fragments of the shell ejected. A similar 

 arrangement is found in the Elachistodontidse, as pointed out above. 



