AUSTEALIAN SNAKES. 69 



the ventrals, which in hundreds of specimens of S. variegatus are always 

 vellow throughout. An indication of the abdominal edge or keel may be 

 traced in H. variegatus, but it is not so defined as that of the present 

 species. The snake was named in honor of W. J. Stephens, Esq., M.A., 

 Oxon, and its habitat is Port Macquarie, on the Hastings River ; it occurs 

 probably also on the Manning River. 



Pale-headed Snake. Iloplocejyhaliis palUdieeps. 



(Plate XI, fig. 1.) 

 Hoplocephalus pallidiceps, Gunther, Cat. of Coluhr, Snakes in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 214. 



Scales in 15 rows. 



Abdominal plates, 227. 



One anal plate. 



Subcaudals in one series, 55 or more. 



Total length of adult, 30 inches. 



Head, 1 inch. 



Tail, 4 inches. 



Dr. Giinther's original description is as follows : — Scales in fifteen 

 rows ; second and third upper labial shields truncated above. Blackish 

 olive ; head lighter ; scales of the outer rows with yellowish apex. Body 

 rather elongate, rounded ; tail rather short, not very distinct from trunk, 

 tapering; head somewhat similar to that of Glyphodon imicolor, vaihev 

 depressed, vdth broad, flat crown, hardly distinct from neck ; muzzle 

 rather short, broad, rounded in front ; eye small, pupil subelliptical ; 

 rostral moderate, reaching the surface of head ; anterior frontals moderate, 

 broader than long, rounded in front ; posterior frontals rather large, five- 

 sided, each with two hinder edges, forming together a right angle ; vertical 

 six-sided, longer than broad, with parallel outer edges, an obtuse angle in 

 front, and an acute one behind ; occipitals moderate, sometimes rather 

 elongate, sometimes obtuse and rounded behind ; superciliary moderate; two 

 posterior oculars, and one anterior, just reaching the surface of the crown. 

 This species differs somewhat from the other Hoplocephall, in the shields 

 replacing the loreal ; the second and third upper labials, being truncated 

 al)ov(', do not participate in replacing it. Nasal rather elongate, sharply 



