18 AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 



sea snakes as descendents from land snakes ; the fresh- 

 water species forming a natural and intermediate link in 

 the chain. Instead of presenting the familiar rounded 

 form, the body of a sea snake is compressed or flattened 

 at the sides ; like such rapidly moving fish as lierrings, 

 and more especially ribbon fish. The resemblance is 

 furtlier heightened by the belly being ridged like the 

 keel of a boat. 



Another peculiarity, and that most modified for 

 aquatic progression is to be found in the tail : instead of 

 being rounded, as in other snakes, it is compressed or 

 vertically flattened, like tliat of an eel ; a feature which 

 enables the snake to move through the water with 

 rapidity. It has, in fact, become transformed into a fin, 

 and has precisely the property possessed by the tail of 

 a fish, and of an eel in particular. 



Venom. 



Watching a living snake under glass, at say the 

 Zoological Gardens, its most noticeable feature is a 

 delicate forked object frequently thrust, with a quivering 

 motion, out of the mouth, and rapidly withdrawn. This 

 is its tongue, and is used as an investigating member, 

 testing the nature and quality of everything with which 

 it comes into contact. To the popular mind, however, 

 it is a " sting," a death-dealing weapon, so regarded in 

 spite of all that has been written on the subject. The 



