46 AUSTRALIAN SXAKES. 



Black Snake. Fsemlechis porphyriactis. 



(Plate VIII and plate XI, fig. 8.) 

 Coluber porphyriaeus, Shaw, Zool. of N. R., p. 27, pi. 10 ; and Shaiv, General Zool, III, 



p. 423, pi. 110. 

 Pseudechis porphyriaeus, Waaler, Si/st. Amph., p. 171, and Giinther, Cat. of Col. Snakes 



in Col. B. M., p. 218. 

 Naja porphyriaca, Schleg., Ess., pi. 17, figs. 10, 11. 

 Naja australis. Gray, Zool. Misc., p. 55. 



Scales in 17 rows. 

 Two anal plates. 

 Abdominals, 180 to 200. 



Subcaiidals variable, from 50 to 60, sometimes all divided 

 or all entire, generally the first 10 to 20 entire, and 

 the remainder divided. 

 Total length of adult, 5 to 6 feet. 

 Head, 1 inch. 

 Tail, 6 inches. 

 Body elongate and rounded ; tail moderate, not distinct from trunk ; 

 head rather small, quadrangular, with rounded muzzle ; shields of crown 

 regular ; two nasals, no loreal ; one anterior and two posterior oculars ; 

 scales smooth, imbricate, in seventeen rows ; anal bifid ; first subcaudals 

 entire, hinder ones two-rowed ; in some individuals all the subcaudals are 

 entire. Black above, each scale of the outer series red at the base and 

 black at the tip ; ventral shields with black posterior margins ; muzzle 

 lisrht brown. 



The Black Snake is the most common of all our venomous snakes ; 

 it frequents low marshy places, is fond of water, dives and swims well, and 

 subsists principally upon frogs, lizards, insects, and the smaller mammalia, 

 in particular the young of the Water-rat, Hydromys leucogaster. On one 

 occasion sixteen young of this rodent were taken out of a sj)ecimen, so 

 that the reptile must have plundei'ed four nests. 



When irritated, the Black Snake raises about two feet of its body off 

 the ground, flattens out the neck like a Cobra, and then darts at its prey 

 or enemy. The bite of this snake is highly venomous, killing good-sized 

 dogs or goats within an hour. 



The number of young brought forth in March generally amounts 

 to 15 or 20. During the winter the reptile retires into the ground. 



