34 AUSTEALIAN SNAKES. 



the labials. The nasal shield is very broad, with a deep pit, shaped like a 

 bean, and much produced backwards. Head moderate; body thick, 

 compressed ; anal spurs small. Color light brown, with a series of 

 darker rings, which become indistinct near the sides; below yellowish- 

 white here and there, with a few dark blotches ; head and neck jet-black 

 above and below. Total length, 7' 10". 



This reptile is probably as large, if not larger, than the Rock Snakes 

 of New South Wales, but at present little or nothing is known about it. 

 The first specimen which the Museum received was captured by Mr. Rain- 

 bird, the well-known collector at Port Denison ; it was met with subse- 

 quently on the Burdekin, at Cleveland Bay, and Cape York. 



It may be distinguished at once by the jet-black head and neck. 

 The scales are smaller than those of the Diamond or Carpet Snake, in 

 fifty-two rows, and the belly plates very narrow, more than 300 from neck 

 to vent. Northern settlers will bear in mind that venomous snakes have 

 generally from fifteen to twenty-six rows of scales only, so that by 

 counting the number of scales the harmless nature of some snakes may 

 be ascertained. 



LI^SIS, Grmj. 



Head scaly, with symmetrical shields on the muzzle to between the 

 eyes : vertical plate single ; nostrils lateral, in a single shield, with a 

 groove behind ; eyes lateral ; pupil oblong, erect ; upper and lower labial 

 shields pitted ; scales smooth ; subcaudal plates two-rowed. 



Children's Rock Snake. Licms childrenii. 



Liasis childrenii, Gray, Gat. of Snakes in Col. B. M., p. 92. 



There are but few Australian snakes not represented in the Sydney 

 Museum, and this species is one of them. It has the first three or four of 

 the upper lip-shields pitted, and four of the plates on the lower jaw (those 

 preceding the last three) indented in the same manner. 



In Dr. J. E. Gray's Catalogue of Snakes the color is described as 

 purplish brown ; back with a central series of oblong, transverse, dark 

 spots ; sides with two series of roundish black spots, beneath white ; upper 

 lip with a dark streak to the angle of the mouth. 



