96 



VENOMS 



Total length, 490 millimetres ; tail 70. 

 Habitat : Western Australia. 



(m) Acanthophis {Death Adder). 



(Figs. GO, fil.) 



Maxillary bones extending forwards as far as the palatines, 

 with a pair of large grooved poison-fangs, followed by two or three 

 small teeth ; anterior mandibular teeth elongate, fang-like. Head 

 distinct from the neck ; eyes small, with vertically elliptic pupils ; 

 nostril in the upper part of a single nasal shield. Body stout, 



Fig. 60. — Skull of Acanthophis antarctic as. (After G. A. Boulenger, op. cif.) 



cylindrical. Scales more or less distinct!}^ keeled, in '21 — 23 rows. 

 Tail short, compressed at the end and terminating in a sort of 

 long spine, turned upwards ; anterior subcaudals in a single row, 

 posterior in '2 rows. 



A . antarcticus (The Death Adder ; fig. (il). — Supraocular shields 

 often raised and angular, assuming the shape of little horns ; scales 

 on the crown of the head rugose and striated ; 118 — 130 ventrals 

 41 — 51 subcaudals (the last 5 — 27 are divided). 



