PREFACE. 



npHE only work which, to the time of its pnb- 

 lication, 30 years ago, deals exclusively and 

 exhaustively with the subject, is Krefft's admirable 

 " Snakes of Australia." This book is out of print, 

 and, in consequence of additions to the known 

 fauna, also out of date. 



The present publication is not intended to be 

 exhaustive, nor does it aim at replacing its more 

 pretentious and expensive predecessor. It deals in 

 a popular manner with the better known snakes, 

 both venomous and harmless, and colored illustrations 

 and figures in the text of such are furnished. 

 The names, distribution, and dimensions only of the 

 lesser known species are given, as a more detailed 

 account would swell the pages beyond the scope 

 of the book. Some account of the habits and 

 organisation of snakes in general will be found in 

 part I. 



As indicating the progress made in our know- 

 ledge during the past 30 years, it may be men- 

 tioned that whereas Krefft recorded 21 innocuous 

 and 42 venomous land snakes, the figures of to- 

 day, as shown in the following pages, are 31 and 62 

 respectively, the proportion being exactly maintained ; 

 the number of sea snakes has been reduced from 

 15 to 12. 

 Sydney, October, 1898. E.R.W. 



