22 AUSTEALIAN SNAKES. 



means of which they hold on to projecting objects. Their food consists 

 entirely of fish, and a few species use Crustacea also. All of them appear 

 to be viviparous, and perform the act of parturition in the water. They 

 do not grow to any considerable size, are of gentle disposition, and their bite 

 is by no means dangerous. They do not feed in captivity, and therefore 

 die after a short time. 



CEEBEEUS, Cavier. 



Head rather high, of moderate length and width ; body cylindrical, 

 its hinder part and the tail rather compressed. Cleft of the mouth wide, 

 turned upwards behind ; eye, small, with vertical pupil ; snout covered 

 with shields, occiput with scales ; nostrU situated on the upper side of the 

 head, between two nasals, the anterior of which is the larger, forming a 

 suture with the corresponding nasal of the other side ; two small triangular 

 anterior frontals ; eye surrounded by a ring of small orbitals, the super- 

 ciliary being weU developed ; posterior upper labials divided transversely 

 into two. Scales keeled, in from twenty-one to twenty-five rows ; ventrals 

 of moderate width ; anal bifid ; subcaudals two-rowed. Maxillary teeth 

 in a continuous series, slightly increasing in length posteriorly, the last being 

 grooved. Mandibulary teeth, longest in front, decreasing in strength and 

 more closely set behind. Viviparous. 



Australian Bockadam. Cerberus australis. 



Cerberus australis. Oi-ay, Cat. of Snakes in B. M., p. 65. 



Slate-black in spirits ; under lip and beneath white ; throat with two 

 oblong black streaks ; under side with two series of large, square, black 

 spots, united by a rather broad black central streak ; tail, black beneath. 



The generic and specific characters are taken from Giinther's and 

 Gray's works. There are no specimens of this snake in the Museum 

 collection. The North Coast of New Holland and Port Essington are 

 given as the habitat of this reptile. 



MilTEOIT, Gray. 



The characters which distinguish this genus appear to be the same 

 as those of '^Cerberus." 



