M THE OEDER OP SHAKES— OPSIBIA. 



It must be borne in mind that we only deal with Australian snakes, 

 not with American, African, or Asiatic species of the family Viperidce, 

 which have a large number of labial shields. 



The Death Adder {Acanthophis antarctica) — intermediate between 

 the Viperine and the Colubrine Venomous Snakes — has seven lower 

 labials, but never more than six upper ones. 



3rd view, — 



'-. t*" 



representing the head of a non-venomous snake from below, shewing (m) 

 the mental shield, (c c) the chin shields, (*) the lower labials, and {a b) 

 the abdominal or ventral plates. The two first shields do not enter much 

 into the classification of Ophidians. 



There are a few other expressions which it will be weU to define. 

 In mentioning the body scales, the word imbricate frequently occurs, by 

 which it is implied that the scales overlay each other like the tiles of a roof. 



The abdominal or ventral plates are counted from the chin shields 

 to the vent, which is covered by one or two plates ; below tliis the sub- 

 caudal plates commence, in one or two rows. 



A few concluding remarks on snake poison, and the treatment of 

 wounded persons, will perhaps be acceptable to many readers. A great 

 deal has been written upon this subject of late, but with little benefit to 

 the general public. The antidote vendors and their supporters have, how- 

 ever, been thoroughly exposed, and fresh experiments only prove that some 

 animals will die in spite of every remedy, and others recover without physic. 



Injections into the blood have been recommended, but ignorant 

 persons were not cautioned agaiast the danger of the experiment ; and 

 in the hands of the unskilled, the cure may prove to be worse than the 

 disease. Doctors are not always present in places where dangerous snakes 

 abound ; it is necessary, therefore, to consider what should be done when 

 a wound has been received by a person who cannot obtain scientific 



