C. (18) _L. wagleri._--Scales in 19-27 rows, 127-154 ventrals; 45-55 subcaudals; tail _prehensile_. Colour green, with darker or lighter markings, black and yellow, or nearly entirely black. Total length, 980 millimetres; tail 150. _Habitat_: Malay Peninsula and Archipelago. _C.--AFRICA._ In Africa, poisonous snakes abound throughout the whole of the tropical and sub-tropical zones. The fatal accidents to human beings caused by them in this continent are fewer than in India, since the population of Africa is less dense, but several species occur, the venom of which is especially dangerous to life. These species belong in nearly equal numbers to the Families COLUBRIDÆ and VIPERIDÆ. I.--COLUBRIDÆ. The poisonous COLUBRIDÆ of Africa are all included in the Subfamily _Elapinæ_, of which the following are the eight principal genera:-- (a) _Boulengerina._ (b) _Elapechis._ (c) _Naja._ (d) _Sepedon._ (e) _Aspidelaps._ (f) _Walterinnesia._ (g) _Homorelaps._ (h) _Dendraspis._ (a) =Boulengerina.= A small snake 240 millimetres in length, the principal characters of which are as follows:-- Maxillary bones equal to the palatines in length, with a pair of relatively large poison-fangs, followed by three or four small teeth. Head hardly distinct from the neck. Eye small, with round pupil; nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical; scales smooth, in 21 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail moderate; subcaudal scales in 2 rows. The only known species, _B. stormsi_, is brown, with black transverse bars on the neck; tail black; belly white in front, brown behind, with a black border to the scales. It is found in the region of Lake Tanganyika. (b) =Elapechis.= This genus is characterised by the size of the maxillary bones, which is equal to that of the palatines; a pair of large poison-fangs followed by two to four small teeth; head not distinct from the neck; eye small with round pupil; nostril between two nasal shields. Body cylindrical; scales oblique, smooth, in 13 or 15 rows; ventrals rounded. Tail very short, subcaudal shields in 2 rows. Six species are known:-- (1) _E. guentheri._--Scales in 13 rows. Snout short, rounded; first lower labial shield in contact with its neighbour behind the symphysis. Internasal shorter than the præfrontals; length of frontal three-fourths of that of the parietals. Coloration whitish or grey above, with black, white-edged cross-bands. Belly dirty white, brownish, or grey. Total length, 520 millimetres; tail 50. _Habitat_: Gaboon, Congo, Angola, Central Africa. (2) _E. niger._--Snout and arrangement of scales as before. Internasal shields three-fourths of the length of the præfrontals; frontal two-thirds of the length of the parietals. Colour, black all over. Total length, 420 millimetres; tail 30. _Habitat_: Zanzibar. (3) _E. hessii._--Snout as in foregoing. Symphysial shield of the lower lip in contact with the anterior chin-shields.