28 AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 



ment. Watching the Jackasses in my own avaries, I 

 have noticed a feature which I liave not seen remarked 

 upon. When food is thrown to one of these birds it. 

 swoops from its percli and does not check the impetus 

 gained until it has secured its prey, in otlier words the 

 frog or lizard is seized before the feet touch the ground. 

 Such a habit must be of great advantage to the bird 

 when attacking a snake, and leaves the reptile, quick 

 though it may be, less chance than if its enemy alighted 

 beside it before making its stroke. The Goana, or Lace 

 Lizard (^Vai-anus), is another snake destroyer ; one, L 

 disturbed, had been munching a Whip Snake. 



Popular and Scientific Names. 



When speaking of snakes by their common names,, 

 it is often of the highest importance to know what 

 species is referred to, for some snakes are known by 

 different names in the various colonies, and even in 

 different parts of the same colony. For example, the- 

 Diamond Snake of Tasmania (^Denisonia superba) 

 is in Victoria called the Copper-headed Snake ; and in 

 New South Wales, the Superb or Large-scaled Snake.. 

 This snake, it must be remembered, is eminently 

 venomous, and as dangerous as any Australian species. 

 The Diamond Snake of the continent (^Python spilotesy 

 is, on the other hand, a totally different reptile, and 

 perfectly harmless ; this confusion of names is, there- 

 fore, most misleading. 



