AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 25- 



being pursued among the trees by the Tree Snakes, and 

 in the water by Water Snakes, and the Black Snake. 

 These latter also seek out the aquatic lizards of the 

 genera Physignathus and Egernia. Land lizards 

 are favorites, and are often to be obtained from the 

 stomachs of the Tiger, Brown, and such other snakes 

 as frequent dry and sunny places. Birds and their 

 eggs are devoured by Tree Snakes and Pythons, the 

 former are also partial to geckos ; while quadrupeds, 

 such as small Wallabies, Rat Kangaroos, Bandicoots, 

 and Opossums especially, fall victims to Pythons and 

 Rock Snakes. Flying Foxes, as they hang in clusters 

 from the trees, are not infrequently caught by these 

 large reptiles. Fishes and marine animals of various 

 kinds supply the wants of the Sea Snakes. 



As befits their peculiar, lengthened body, nearly all 

 the internal organs are elongated ; this applies also to 

 the eggs, those produced by some species being three 

 times as long as broad. Eggs are produced by most of 

 our harmless snakes, namely : the Blind Snakes, the 

 Fresh Water Snake, Tree Snakes, both Green and 

 Brown, and the Pythons, which latter are specially 

 interesting from the fact that they incubate their eggs, 

 30 or so in number, and are the only snakes known 

 to do so. The members of the genus Diemenia, includ- 

 ing the deadly Brown Snake, and the Whip Snake, 

 also produce eggs, a habit common to some, probably 

 all, species of the genera Bhynchelaps and Pseudelaps. 



