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384 GEOGRAPHICAL ZOOLOGY. [part IV.
Family 23.—HYDEOPHID^. (8 Genera, 50 Species.)
Neotropical
scb-begions.
Nearctic
SaB-REGlONS.
General Distribution.
PaL^ARCTIC El'HlOPIAN
I
ScB-EEGiONS. Sub-regions.
Oriental
sob-reoions.
3 4 11.2.3.4 I
Australian
Sub-regions.
1.2.3.4
The Hydrophidse, or Sea Snakes, are a group of small-sized
marine serpents, abundant in the Indian and Australian seas,
and extending as far west as Madagascar, and as far east as
Panama. They are very poisonous, and it is probable that many
species remain to be discovered. The genera are distributed as
foUows :
—
HydropMs (37 sp.), ranging from India to Formosa and Aus-
tralia ; Platurus (2 sp.), from the Bay of Bengal to New Guinea
and New Zealand ; Aipysurus (3 sp.), Java to New Guinea and
Acalyptus (1 sp.),
Australia; Disteira (1 sp.), unknown locality ;
South-west Pacific ; Enhydrina (1 sp.). Bay of Bengal to New
Guinea ;
Pelamis (1 sp.), Madagascar to New Guinea, New Zea-
land, and Panama ; Emydocephalus (1 sp.), Australian Seas.
Family 24.—CEOTALID^. (11 Genera, 40 Species.)
Neotropical
sub-begions.
Nearctic
Sub-regions.
General Distribution.
Pal^arctic
Sub-regions.
1.2.3.4 1.2.3.4 3.4
Ethiopian
Sub-regions.
Oriental
Sub-regions.
1.2.3.4
Australian
Sub-regions.
The Crotalidae, or Pit Vipers, including the deadly Eattlesnakes,
form a well-marked family of fanged serpents, whose distribu-
tion is very interesting. They abound most in the Oriental
region, at least 5 of the genera and 20 species being found within
its limits, yet they are quite unknown in the Ethiopian region
—a parallel case to that of the Bears and Deer. A few species
are peculiar to the eastern portion of the Palsearctic region, while