70 AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 



The present species is perhaps the nearest ally of the Ringed Snake 

 {Vermicella occijntalis), and, like that serpent, it permits itself to be 

 handled without attempting to bite ; there is a peculiar polish on the closely- 

 adherent scales, just as in the Vermicella ; the tail is very short, the eye 

 diminutive, and the tongue white ; the body scales are broad and rounded, 

 and in all its characteristics this snake differs so much from other Soplo- 

 cephali that a separate genus will probably be formed for it. 



Black-striped Snake. Hojolucephalus nigro-striatus. 



(Plate XII, fig. 3.) 

 Hoplocephalus nigro-striatus. Krefft, Proe. Zool. Soc, 1864', p. 181. 



Scales in 15 rows. 



Abdominal plates, ISO. 



One anal plate. 



Subcaudal plates in a single series, 62. 



Total length, 11 inches. 



Tail, 2^ inches. 



Body and tail as in S. nigrescens ; belly flat ; tail moderate, not 

 distinct from trunk ; head not distinct from neck, depressed, rounded ; 

 rostral moderate ; anterior fi'ontals broad, hinder edges just touching the 

 nostril ; posterior frontals much larger, rounded behind ; vertical moderate, 

 six-sided, very broad ; occipitals rather narrow, elongate, much forked and 

 pointed behind ; one anterior, two posterior oculars ; superciliaries and 

 eyes small ; pupil elliptical, erect ; six upper labials, third and fourth 

 touching the eye. Upper part of posterior half of tail covered with large 

 hexagonal scales ; sides and beneath yellowish white ; crown, and a 

 vertebral line running from the neck to the tip of the tail, black. 



A very fine specimen of this snake has been received from Cleveland 

 Bay, by Captain Harley, of the steamer " Havilah." Mr. George Salting 

 discovered the first specimen near Rockhampton. 



