46 ON THE SNAKES OF SYDNEY, 



" Upper jaw with grooved fang in front, separated from the other 

 teeth by an interval ; an elongate series of six or seven teeth 

 behind ; palatine teeth equal in length ; anterior teeth of lower 

 jaw longest." (Giinther.) 



This very handsome little Snake is not uncommon near 

 Sydney, though few people have ever seen it ; during the cold 

 season I have met with specimens under thin flat stones at Manly ? 

 Lane Cove, and other rocky localities ; before I had an oppor- 

 tunity of proving its existence near Sydney, it had been known 

 from "Western Australia and the North East coast only. 

 This Snake is venomous, but never offers to bite, and may be 

 handled with impunity ; it is oviparous, laying from 8 to 10 eggs. 

 Its food consists, like that of other small species, in minute Blattee, 

 young frogs of the genus Pseudopkryne, ants, ants' eggs, &c. 



PSEDDECHIS. Wagl. 



Pseudechis porphyriacus. Shaw. 



The Black Snake. 



Scales in 17 rows. 

 Anal bifid. 

 Ventrals 180 to 200. 



Subcaudals 14, 41/41. Sometimes all subcaudals entire. 



This snake is so well known that but a short description of it 

 will be necessary. Body elongate and rounded ; tail moderate, 

 not distinct from trunk : head rather small, quadrangular with 

 rounded muzzle ; shields of crown regular ; 2 nasals, no loreal ; 

 one anterior and 2 posterior oculars ; scales smooth, imbricate, in 

 1 7 rows ; anal bifid ; first subcaudals entire, hinder ones two- 

 rowed ; in some individuals all the subcaudals are entire. Black 

 above, each scale of the outer series, red at the base and black at 

 the tip ; ventral shields with black posterior margins ; muzzle 

 light brown ; ventral plates from 180 to 200. 



The Black Snake is, I believe, the most common of all our 

 venomous snakes ; it frequents low marshy places, is fond of 

 water, dives and swims well, and subsists principally upon frogs, 



