y2 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



Tasmania, making twenty known species of Colubriform Venomous 

 Snakes in that range of territory, where others doubtless remain to be 

 discovered ; and there is one described as Pseudo-elaps super ciliaris, 

 which is suspected to be a second species of Pseudo-naja. The 

 Cyrtophis scutatus of South Africa is a sort of hoodless Cobra, without 

 any small teeth behind its fangs. In America there is only the genus 

 Elaps, with numerous species, which are mostly of small size, and in 

 some instances are very brightly coloured, as one of the Coral 

 Snakes'" of Brazil (E. corallinus), which is beautiful coral-red, with the 

 body encircled by equidistant black rings. The genus Elaps in 

 America is represented in Africa by Homorelaps, in the Indian region 

 by Callophis, and in Australia by Vermicalla. In general these are 

 small and slender snakes, too much so to be held in much dread. 

 What Dr. Gunther remarks of the species of Callophis will apply, as 

 we believe, equally to the others : — " They appear to prefer hilly 

 countries to the plains, live constantly on the ground, and are slow in 

 their movements. In their habits, in their form, and in their power- 

 less muscular organisation, they show the greatest similarity to the 

 Calamarice ; and this is why the Callophides feed almost entirely on 

 the latter, the venomous snake being able to overpower the non- 

 venomous. Both of these genera have also the same geographical 

 distribution ; and Ceylon, where we do not find the Calamarice, is not 

 inhabited by a single Callophis. If we are allowed to judge from the 

 number of individuals of both genera brought to Europe in collections, 

 the Calamarice are about twice as numerous as the Callophides. 

 Cantor, who had opportunities of observing them, states that they are 

 generally seen lying motionless, with the body thrown into many 

 irregular folds, but not coiled. Although they are diurnal, their sight, 

 from the minuteness of the pupil, appears to be as defective as their 

 sense of hearing, and they may be closely approached without 

 apparently being aware of danger. He never observed them to 

 strike voluntarily, even when provoked, and he had difficulty in 

 making an adult C. gracilis bite a fowl, although, of course, the 

 venom of these Snakes is as virulent as that of a Viper, the animals 

 used for the experiments having died in the course of from one to 

 three hours after they had been wounded. Therefore the greatest 

 caution should be observed in catching or handling these Snakes. 

 The shortness of their fangs and the small quantity of their poisonous 

 fluid, however, will always give a very fair chance of recovery if the 

 proper remedies be applied, should an accident occur. Two or three 



* This name is also applied to the harmless Tortrix scytale {vide p. 42. ) 



