AUSTRAMAN SNAKES. 43 



upper surface is green, and the lower parts are yellow. 

 The belly scales are noticeable for having a notch on 

 ■each side, corresponding to a ridge, by means of which the 

 snake is able to traverse the branch of a tree ; this 

 feature has been more fully explained in part I. (page 15). 



AQUATIC and NOCTURNAL COLUBRINE 



SNAKES. 

 Section OPISTHOGLYrilA. 



This section is represented in Australia, also by 

 iive snakes, four aquatic and one arboreal. 



The Water Snakes are venomous, and may be 

 distinguished from the harmless Water Snake previously 

 mentioned, by the circumstance of the nostrils being on 

 the upper surface of the head. As this would indicate, 

 all these snakes are thoroughly aquatic, and their young 

 are produced in the water, in a living state. Some of 

 the Water Snakes have prehensile, or clasping tails, 

 by means of which they attach themselves to weeds or 

 •other objects, watching meanwhile the fish upon which 

 they mainly feed. The four Australian venomous 

 Water Snakes are : — 



Macleay's Water Snake. 



Hypsirhina macleai/i, Ogilby. 



S. 21-23, V. 147-152, A.2, S.C. 38-47. 



Herbert Kiver district, Queensland ; length, 2 feet 



3 inches. 



