60 AUSTKALL4.N SNAKES. 



pointed behind, pierced by the nostril ; six upper labials. Scales moderate, 

 rhomboidal, in fifteen rows ; anal entire. Grooved longer tooth in front, 

 a series of smaller ones behind. Above uniformly blackish olive, beneath 

 uniformly yellowish ; centre of each subcaudal with an obsolete dark spot ; 

 scales of the outer rows with yellowish apex ; head uniform light brownish 

 olive. 



This species is viviparous. In the oviduct of the specimen whose 

 measurements here are stated, two perfectly developed embryos were 

 observed. Length of cleft of mouth, -^"; length of tail, 3"; total length, 24". 



H. pallidiceps is allied to H. variegatus and stephensU, and has a 

 broad head and keeled ventrals ; it is one of the smaller species, which 

 seldom exceed thirty inches in length, and whose bite would not be 

 dangerous to man. This snake is rather rare, and does not occur near 

 Sydney. The Australian Museum contains specimens from the Lachlan, 

 the Clarence, and the Richmond River, and from many parts of Queens- 

 land. The most northern specimens were obtained at Port Denison. 



Gould's Snake. Koploceplmlus gouldii. 



(Plate XII, fig. 2.) 



Elaps gouldii, Gh'ay, in Capt. Grey's Australia, p. Hi. pi. 5, fig. 1 ; GiiutJier, Cat. of 

 Colubr. Snakes in Col. B. M., p. 215. 



Scales in 15 rows. 

 Abdominal plates, 159. 

 One anal plate. 

 Subcaudals, 28. 

 Total length, 17 inches. 

 Head, f inch. 

 Tail, 2 inches. 



Pale yellowish ; the scales of the back small, six-sided, with a dark 

 anterior margin, giving the back a netted appearance. Top of the head 

 and nape black, with a yellow spot on the rostral scale on each side just 

 before the eyes. Head small, the occipital plates large, elongate ; the nasal 

 plate triangular ; one moderate anterior, and two subequal posterior ocular 

 shields ; six upper and lower labial shields, the fourth under the eyes ; 



