68 AUSTEALIAN SNAKES. 



Black-napbd Snake. Soploceplialus nigriceps. 



(Plate XII, fig. 7.) 



Hoplocephalus uigriceps, Giinther, Annul, and Magaz. of Nat. Hist., 3rd Series, vol. 

 XII, p. 362. 



Scales in 15 rows. 



Abdominal plates, 154. 



One anal plate. 



Subcaudals in a single series, 29. 



Total length, 16 inches. 



Head, 6^ lines. 



Tail, 2 inches. 



Dr. Giintlier's description is as follows : — 



Scales in fifteen rows ; upper parts of the head and nape of the 

 neck uniformly black. Body of moderate length ; head rather depressed ; 

 tail short ; eye small, with vertical pupil ; snout broad. Vertical shield 

 five-sided, two-thirds as broad as long ; two postoculars ; six upper labials, 

 the third and fourth of which enter the orbit ; temporals 2 -[- 2 -|- 3 ; only 

 the upper of the two anterior temporals is in contact with the postoculars, 

 the lower being intercalated between the fifth and sixth labials. The 

 anterior pair of lower labials are large, as large as the front chin-shield. 

 Ventrals, 154 ; subcaudals, 29. Uniformly brownish olive above, each 

 scale being lighter at the tip. Upper parts of the head and nape uniformly 

 black ; lower parts whitish, immaculate. 



There is a specimen of this snake in the Museum collection, that 

 was obtained in the Western Districts of New South Wales. This proves 

 the species to be Australian, as Dr. Giinther fii-st suspected ; it is allied to 

 Soploceplialus gouldii. 



Black-backed Snake. Hoploceplialm nigrescem. 



(Plate VI, figs. 4, 4a.) 

 Hoplocephalus nigreseens, Giinther, Ann. and Magaz. of Nat. Hist., vol. IX, 3rd Series, 

 p. 131. 



Scales in 15 rows. 

 Abdominal plates, 170 to 200. 

 One anal plate. 

 Svibcaudals, 30 to 46. 

 Total length, 32 inches. 

 Head, 1 inch. 

 Tail, 3^ inches. 



