CHAP. XIX.] 
REPTILES. 
375 
The Oligodontidae are a small family of Ground Snakes which 
have been separated from the Calamariidse, and, with the excep- 
tion of a few species, are confined to the Oriental region. The 
best characterised genera are : — 
Oligodon (12 sp.), India, Ceylon, and Philippines ; and, Simotes 
(24 sp.), India to China and Borneo. In addition to these, 
Achalinus is founded on a single species from Japan; and 
Teleolepis consists of three species from North and South America. 
Family 7. — COLUBPiIDiE. (50 Genera, 270 Species.) 
General Distribution. 
Neotropical 
Sub-regions. 
Nearctic 
Sub-regions. 
1’AL.E ARCTIC 
Sub-regions. 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental 
Sub-regions. 
Australian 
Sub-regions, 
1 . 2 . 3.4 
1 . 2 . 3.4 
1 . 2 . 3.4 
1 . 2 . 3 .4 
1 . 2 . 3 . 4 
I 
i 
a 
H 
The Colubrine Snakes are universally distributed over the 
globe, and they reach the extreme northern limits of the order. 
They are, however, almost absent from Australia, being there 
represented only by a few species of Tropidonotus and Corondla 
in the northern and eastern districts. This great family consists 
of four divisions or sub-families : the Coronellinae (20 genera, 
100 species), the Colubrinse (16 genera, 70 species), the Drya- 
dinae (7 genera, 50 species), and the Natricinae (7 genera, 50 
species). The more important genera of Colubridae are the 
following : — 
Ablates, Coronella , Ptyas, Coluber, and Tropidonotus — all 
have a very wide distribution, but the two last are absent 
•from South America, although Tropidonotus reaches Guatemala ; 
Tomodon, Xenodon, Liopis, Stenorhina , Erythrolampus , Elapoch - 
rus, Callirhinus, Enophrys, and Promicus — are confined to the 
Neotropical region; Hypsirhynchus, Cryptodacus, Jaltris , and 
Coloragia, are confined to the West Indian Islands ; Chilomenis- 
cus , Conophis, Pituophis, and IscheognatJius, to North America, 
the latter going as far south as Guatemala; Compsosoma, 
Zamenis, Zaocys, Atretium, Xenoehrophys, and Serpetoreas , are 
peculiarly Oriental, but Zamenis extends into South Europe ; 
