8 THE OEDEE OF SNAKES— 0PSJi)I4. 



second two are varieties of eaeli otlier, the young brought forth differing 

 greatly in colour even in the same litter. The dark variety has been 

 described as lIoploce][)Ualus fuscus by M. Steindachner ; but Mr. George 

 Masters captured a large number of both kinds of snakes in Tasmania, 

 and took from a gravid female some thirty-five young, half of which wei'e 

 banded, and of a light colour, and the rest black. 



The third Tasmanian Snake is very small, only about 16 or 20 inches 

 long, and, though venomous, not dangerous. This reptile is known as 

 the Whip Snake (Sojilocephalus coronoidesj , and is allied to the New South 

 Wales Black-bellied Snake (Hoplocephalus signatusj, and to Masters' Snake 

 CSoplocephalus niastersiij of South Australia. 



We do not know exactly how many snakes Victoria produces. In 

 the south, the Tiger Snake (TIo])locephahis curiusj and the Tasmanian 

 Diamond Snake fl£. superhusj are met with ; also the little Black-bellied 

 Snake (^Hoplocejihalus siffufftifs) and the Black Snake fPsendechis por])hy- 

 rlaciisj. Near the New South Wales boundary, on the Murray, we find 

 in addition the Death Adder (Acanthophis antarctica), the Green-bellied or 

 Grey Snake fDiemenia reticulata), the Brown Snake (Diemenia siiper- 

 ciliosaj, and probably also the innocuous Green Tree Snake (Dendropliis 

 punctiilata), and the Carpet Snake (Ilorelia vaHegataJ. 



There occur in South Australia, in addition to the above, several 

 small venomous OjDhidians ; the Death Adder is, however, very scarce, 

 and, further west, altogether absent. Near King Geoi'ge's Sound are 

 found many snakes of the brown-banded species, of a very marked colour, 

 and with the bands much more distinct than in eastern specimens ; small 

 Soplocephall, and particularly Iloplocephalns coronoides, abound on the 

 barren hills near the Sound, but of the Ophidio-fauua further to the north- 

 west our knowledge is limited. 



Returning to New South Wales, we observe, in addition to the 

 specimens enumerated from Victoria, the Diamond Snake fllorelia 

 spilotes), and the Brown Tree Snake (Dipsas fuscaj, but miss the 

 Tasmanian Diamond Snake (Koplocephalus superhusj. There is also a 

 goodly number of small Ophidian reptiles, which will be fully described 

 hereafter. Near the Queensland boundary, in the Clarence and Eich- 



