32 VERTEBRATA OF THE LOWER MURRAY, 



This snake is highly venomous, and produces some 20 eggs, 

 which are deposited in the sand under some bramble or decayed 

 leaves ; it is frequently confounded with the following species. 



27. PSEUDECHIS AUSTRALIS. 



Yellow-bellied Brown Snake. 



Hitherto considered to be a variety of the Black Snake, from 

 which it differs in nothing but the colour, being brown above and 

 yellow or orange beneath. This Snake does not occur near 

 Sydney ; but it appears to be common as far north as Port 

 Denison, from whence specimens have been obtained. 



It is highly venomous. 



28. PSEUDECHIS PORPHYRIACTJS. 



Black Snake. 



One of the most common and most venomous Snakes, distri- 

 buted over almost every part of Australia, common on the Murray, 

 and producing some twenty young annually. 



29. HOPLOCEPHALUS CURTUS. 



Brown-banded Snake. 



This, the most vicious of all our reptiles, closely allied to the 

 Indian Cobra, is very common on the plains, in particular in the 

 reed-beds near Swan Hill, and in other swampy places ; the 

 natives appear to be in great dread of this reptile, and assured 

 me that its bite was certain death. 



This species is also found in almost every part of Australia. 



These are all the Snakes actually observed by me, but no 

 doubt they do not represent all the species which exist in these 

 extensive plains. 



BATRACHIA. 



FROGS. 

 Of this order not many species were collected. 



30. LlMNODYNASTES DORSALIS. 



Striped Swamp Frog. 

 In a reed-bed near Lake . Boga a single specimen was 



