AUSTRALIAN SXAKES. 59 



nocturnal habit, it may be overlooked. He writes : — 

 " If a person be bitten by one of them, the simple act of 

 sucking the wound is sufficient to avert any unpleasant 

 sensation ; but, should nothing be done, a violent 

 headache, a certain stiffness in the spine, and some local 

 swelling is generally the consequence. It takes from 

 thirty minutes to an hour before these symptoms set in." 

 Above, the color is black, with yellow spots, forming 

 irregular cross-bands on the body ; the ventral plates 

 are blackish, yellow oil the side. It reaches 4 feet in 

 length. 



Pale-headed Snake. 



Hoplocephalus bitorquatus, Jan. 



S. 21, V. 191-227, A. 1, S.C. 44-59. 



'Nevf South Wales and Queensland; length, 1 feet 8 inches. 



Banded Snake. 



Hoplocephalus slephensii, Krefft, 

 Plate 12. 



S. 21, V. 230, A. 1, S.C. 60. 



The genus to whicli this and the two preceding 

 snakes belong, may be known by the belly plates being 

 angular and notched, similar to, but less marked than 



