THE PL'TXCIPAL SPECIES OF POISOXOUS SNAKES 



95 



(j) Notechis. 



Same general charactei-s ; papil round ; nasal shield entire. 

 Body cylindrical ; scales smooth, disposed obliquely, in 15 — 19 

 rows, the lateral scales shorter than the dorsals. Tail moderate ; 

 subcaudals in a single row. 



N. saita t u s > C^yn. Hoplocepli- 

 (diis curtus. The Tiger Snake. 

 Fig. 59). — ■ Colour dark olive ; 

 belly yellow or olive ; the shields 

 often dark-edged. 



Total length, 1,280 milli- 

 metres ; tail 170. 



Habitat : Australia and Tas- 

 mania. 



:^^' 



Fig. 59. — Notecliis scutatus (The Tiger 

 Snake.) 



(k) Rhinhoplocephalus. 



Dentition as in Hoplocephalus. Head l)ut little distinct from 

 the neck ; eyes small, with round pupils ; no internasal shields. 

 Body cylindrical, rigid. Scales smooth, in 15 rows. Tail short ; 

 subcaudals in a single row. 



B. hicolor. — Colour grevish-olive on the back, yellowish-white 

 on the belly ; tongue white. 



Total length, 395 millimetres ; tail 55. 



Habitat : Australia. 



(1) Brachyaspis. 



Characters the same, but head distinct from the neck ; eyes 

 small, with vertically elliptic pupils ; nostril between two nasal 

 shields. Body stout, cylindrical ; scales smooth, slightly oblique, 

 in 19 rows. Tail short ; subcaudals in a single row. 



B. ciirta. — Colour uniform olive-brown ; belly yellowish. 



