22 VENOMOUS SNAKES AND THE PHENOMENA OF THEIR VENOMS 



Genus TROPIDECHIS Giinther. 



Same characters as Hoplocephalus and Micropechis. Scales of trunk more 

 keeled in 23 rows. Tail moderate; subcaudals in one row. 



Tropidechis carinata. 



Dark olive with darker transverse bands; belly more or less olive-green or yel- 

 low. Length about 2.5 feet. New South Wales, Queensland. 



G«nus NOTECHIS Boulenger. (Plate 8, b.) 



Maxillary extending forward as far as the palatine, with a pair of large, grooved 

 poisoned fangs followed by 4 or 5 small, feebly grooved teeth; mandibular teeth, 

 anterior longest and feebly grooved. Head distinct from neck, with distinct 

 canthus rostralis; eye rather small, with round pupil; nasal entire; no loreal. 

 Body cylindrical, but scales of trunk are smooth and oblique, in 15 to 19 rows. 

 Lateral scales shorter than dorsal. Tail moderate, subcaudals in single row. 



Wotechis scutatus s. Hoplocephalus curtus. 



This famous snake, known as " Tiger snake," has dark-olive color; belly yellow 

 or olive; scales have often dark rim, in 15 to 19 rows, which are smooth. The 

 olive color of the body is often crossed with dark bands. 



Genus RHINHOPLOCEPHALUS F. MiiUer. 



Dentition same as Hoplocephalus. Head and neck little distinct. Eyes small 

 with round pupil. No intemasals. Body cylindrical, rigid, and smooth scales 

 in 15 rows. Tail is short, subcaudal in one single row. 



Rhinhoplocephalus bicolor. 



Olive-gray color above, whitish-yellow on belly; white tongue. Length about 

 1.25 feet. Australia. 



Genus BRACHYASPIS Boulenger. 



Same characteristics as above, but head distinct from neck; eyes small and have 

 a vertical pupil. Body stout and cylindrical. Scales smooth, slightly oblique, in 

 19 rows. Tail short, subcaudals in one row. 



Brachyaspis curta. 



Uniform brown-olive color, with yellowish belly. Length about 1.5 feet. West- 

 ern Australia. 



Genus ACANTHOPHIS Daudin. (Plate 8, c.) 



The "death adder" has a maxillary bone equaling the palatine in length, and 

 the former carries a pair of large poison fangs, followed by a series of two or three 

 small teeth in the rear. The anterior mandibular teeth are so elongated as to 

 appear like the fangs. Head distinct from neck. Eyes small with vertical pupil. 

 Body short and thick, covered with 21 to 23 rows of keeled scales. Anterior caudals 

 in one and the posterior in two rows. Tail peculiar in form, being laterally com- 

 pressed, with a thin, homy, terminal spine. This snake is viviparous. 

 Acanthophis antarcticus. 



This is the real "death adder," the type of this genus. The colors of the upper 

 parts are a mixture of brown, reddish, and yellow, often spotted with black or brown. 

 End of tail yellow, reddish-brown, or black. Length under 3 feet. Moluccas, 

 New Guinea, Australia. 



Genus ELAPOGNATHUS Boulenger. 



The maxillary bone surpasses the palatine bone, with a pair of fairly developed 

 poison fangs, but no other teeth; mandibular teeth of equal length. Eyes moder- 

 ate, the pupil round. Body cylindrical and covered with 15 rows of smooth scales. 

 Tail moderate, the subcaudal in one row. 



