42 OPHIDIAN EEPTILES. 



in India are familiar witli the appellation " Carpet Snake/' as 

 denoting a very deadly reptile, but nobody can there point out 

 what the Carpet Snake really is ; and the one most generally 

 supposed to bear that name is a small innocuous Snake {Lycodon 

 aulicus), which is common about human dwellings. In the 

 Australian colony of Yictoria, however, the appellation Carpet 

 Snake is bestowed upon a terribly venemous species [Hoplo- 

 cephalus curtus) ; while in the neighbouring colony of New 

 South Wales, a harmless and even useful creature {Morelia 

 spilotes) is habitually known as the Carpet Snake. 



With regard to the poison of Venemous Snakes, attention has 

 lately been directed to the virtue of ammonia or volatile alkali. 

 This should be administered internally, mixed with alcoholic 

 spirit and water, in repeated doses ; and it should also be injected 

 into a vein — about one drachm of the liquor ammoni(E of the shops 

 being mixed with two or three times that quantity of water. The 

 patient should be kept moving as much as possible, and the effects 

 of a galvanic battery should also be ti-ied in cases where animation 

 is nearly or quite suspended. By these means it is asserted that 

 quite recentl}^ in Australia, some very remarkable cures have 

 been effected. 



The Ophidia have many enemies, as the well-known Mungoose 

 among mammalia, also Swine, and various ruminating quadrupeds, 

 as Deer and Goats. In the bird class, the famous Serpent- eater, 

 or Secretary-bird of South Africa, is one of their chief destroyers ; 

 and there are various other Snake-devouring birds of prey, besides 

 the great African Ground Hornbill, — even the Peafowl and sundry 

 Storks and other waders. Comparatively large birds of the King- 

 fisher family prey chiefly upon Snakes and Lizards in Australia ; 

 and of reptiles, besides those Snakes which prey upon other 

 Snakes, the Monitor Lizards frequently seize and devour them. 



The series of Ophidians is arranged by our most eminent herpe- 

 tologist. Dr. A. Giinther, into five subordinate groups, which he 

 characterises as follows : — 



I. Burrowing Snakes, living under ground, only occasionally 

 appearing above the surface. They are distinguished by a rigid 

 cylindrical body, short tail, narrow mouth, small head not 

 distinct from the neck, little teeth in small number, and by the 



