82 ATTSTEALIAN SNAKES. 



The habits of this species are tolerably well known ; it frequents 

 sandy localities, feeds on frogs, lizards, small mammals, &c., and retires 

 under ground from April or May to September. When disturbed it flattens 

 out its whole body, and darts right and left as quick as thought, but 

 it does not jump, and certainly never jumps backwards ; it raises its head in 

 the act of striking, and then slightly only ; this must be mentioned, as our 

 figure was taken from a preserved specimen. The head, plate XI, fig. 7, is 

 that of the red variety. 



r>EH"IS01srij^. Krefft. 



Head high and quadi*angular, distinct from trunk, regularly shielded, 

 but with a large loreal which is absent in all other Australian venomous 

 snakes. Body not very elongate and rounded, tail distinct, ending in a 

 large conical spine. Scales in 17 rows ; subcaudals entire. 



Ornamented Snake. Denisonia ornata. 



(Plate XI, fig. 4.) 



Scales in 17 rows. 

 Abdominal plates, 136. 

 One anal plate. 

 Subcaudals, 29. 

 Total length, 6 inches. 

 Head, ^ inch. 

 Tail, f inch. 



This species is a very peculiar form, on account of the loreal 

 shield, which, in our venomous Colubrine Snakes is always absent. The head 

 is rather thick, distinct from trunk, high, and quadrangular, with shelving 

 snout, and, in this respect, resembling the genus Acanthophis. The 

 markings of the upper and lower labials, the chin-shields, and the first 10 

 or 15 abdominal plates, are almost identical with those of young Death 

 Adders of the first year. The occiput is black from the posterial frontals 

 to the commencement of the neck, leaving a mottled spot on the inner 

 margin of the superciliaries, and another very small one at the posterior 

 part of the vertical. The tips of the two occipitals and the scale between 



