. Natural history. Zoology. 424 REPTILIA—ORDER III.—SQUAMATA. Proteroglypha. The essential feature of that section is to be found in the circumstance that it is the front, instead of the hinder, upper maxillary teeth that are grooved for the transmission of the poisonous secretion. Needless to say, all are venomous—some highly so. The genus in which the coral-snake is included comprises many other species, of which the majority inhabit the warmer parts of America, although a few are found in Southern Africa. They typify a sub-family (Elapiiue) in which the tail has a eylindrioal form, and all
. Natural history. Zoology. 424 REPTILIA—ORDER III.—SQUAMATA. Proteroglypha. The essential feature of that section is to be found in the circumstance that it is the front, instead of the hinder, upper maxillary teeth that are grooved for the transmission of the poisonous secretion. Needless to say, all are venomous—some highly so. The genus in which the coral-snake is included comprises many other species, of which the majority inhabit the warmer parts of America, although a few are found in Southern Africa. They typify a sub-family (Elapiiue) in which the tail has a eylindrioal form, and all the members of which live either on the ground or in trees. The coral-snake, which grows to rather more than a couple of feet in length, is easily recognised by its brilliant colora- tion, the whole body and tail being divided into a number of segments of cinnabar-red, separated by shorter segments of black, with indistinct borders of greenish - white. The coral - snake, which frequents wooded districts, is a strictly terrestrial species, feeding upon other reptiles and insects. Nearly allied are the resplendent adders (Gallophis) of the warmer parts of Asia, distinguished by the presence of a groove traversing the whole front surface of the upper fangs, and likewise by the scales forming thirteen rows. These slender snakes are generally found in rocky districts. The dreaded crait (Bungartis cceruleus), and its relative the banded adder, or raj-samp (B. fasciatus), are well-known Indian representatives of a geiius whose geographical range extends from India and Ceylon to the south of China. From Callophis, in which all the teeth behind the fangs are chan- nelled, this genus differs in that from one to three of the same teeth are solid throughout; a connecting link being formed by the genus Hemibungaims, in which there is one unperforated tooth in the hinder portion of each side of the upper jaw. Although the banded adder is larger than the crait, it does not appear to be
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