148 CLASSIFICATION OF REPTILES. 



tliophis, tne tail of the latter being armed^ like that of 

 Tisiphone, with a sting. Finally^ we may separate, as a 

 distinct division of this family, the Elapsince, eminently 

 distinguished by having no power of dilating their jaws, 

 which can hardly separate behind, in consequence of the 

 shortness both of their tympanic and their mastoidian 

 bones : hence it results, that the head, like that of Tor- 

 trix and Amphisbcena, is altogether of a piece with the 

 body. The most common species {E. lemniscatus) is 

 elegantly marked with black rings, three by three, upon 

 a white gTound. All these serpents appear to be harm- 

 less. 



(148.) "We have thus, from the indications given in the 

 Regne Animal, endeavoured to throw the leading groups 

 of the CrofalidcE or venomous family, into something hke 

 a circular series ; but as the whole require a detailed in- 

 vestigation, we merely look upon this disposition of the 

 groups, as the first rude process of arriving hereafter at 

 a better knowledge of their affinities. Certain, however, 

 it is, that there are no want of types connecting the Cro- 

 taUdcB to the Coluberidce, while the Platuri of Latreille, 

 placed by M. Cuvier immediately before the HydropMdce 

 Sw., renders the connection between this latter family 

 and the Crofo/j (fee indisputable. Between the Hydropjhidce, 

 or aquatic serpents, we have, for the present, arranged 

 the AmphishfEncE , already described, and this closes our 

 survey of the Ophides, or serpents. 



CHAP. XI. 



OK THE SAURES OR LIZARDS. 



(149.) Under the order of Saures, the saurian rep- 

 tiles, or lizards, we comprehend all those furnished with 



