ORDER SQUAMATA. 



M7 



confined to Africa, Asia, or Australia ; and, with the next family, 

 include the largest existing representatives of the suborder. They 

 have teeth in the premaxilla ; and all of them are good swimmers. 

 Remains of the existing Indian Python molurus (fig. 1050) are 

 found in the Pleistocene of Madras ; and not improbably also in 

 the Pliocene of the Punjab ; while in the Pleistocene of Australia 

 occur vertebrae probably referable either to Narboa or Blast's, which 

 now inhabit that continent. From the Upper Eocene (Lower Oligo- 

 cene) freshwater deposits of Hampshire, and the equivalent Phos- 

 phorites of Central France, we have the genus Paleryx (Palao- 

 python), which is apparently nearly related to Python. Finally, 

 Scytalophis, from the Quercy Phosphorites, is said to connect the 

 Pytho?iidce with the TortricidcE. 



Family Boid^e. — The Boas are at the present day confined to 

 the New World, and differ from the Pythonidce. by the absence of 

 premaxillary teeth (fig. 1049). The genera Boavus, Lithophis, and 

 Lestophis (Zimnophis), of the Upper Eocene of North America, are 

 probably referable to this family. Protagrus, from the same de- 

 posits, may also be provisionally included in this family ; to which 

 it has been suggested that Botrophis, of the French Miocene, may 

 likewise belong. 



Family Erycid^e. — The members of this family are small Snakes 

 allied to the Boidtz, but having a much shorter and non-prehensile 

 tail. Scaptophis, of the Middle Miocene of France, is regarded as 

 allied to the' existing African Eryx ; while in the Miocene of North 

 America we have Aphelophis, Ca/amagrus, and Ogmophis, all of 

 which appear to be more or less closely related to the genus 

 Charina now inhabiting the same regions. 



Family Pal^ophid^:. — Here we may provisionally place the 

 family formed for the reception of the extinct genus Palceophis, 



Fig. 1051. — Vertebra of Palceofihis typhceiis; from the Middle Eocene of England. The 

 neural spine is wanting, c, Costal tubercle ; zs, Zygosphene. 



from the Lower and Middle Eocene of Europe, comprising very 

 large Serpents, which were probably of marine habits. The ver- 



