THE BLACK SNAKE. 199 



of snake out here : the black-snake, the diamond or 

 carpet snake, and the little whip-snake; all, I believe, 

 equally poisonous in their bite. We had many varieties 

 in colour, but I think these were the only three distinct 

 species. 



A small kind of boa is met with up the country, 

 according to the Blacks, which is harmless ; but I never 

 saw it. 



There is another species in some parts of the country 

 which they call the deaf or death adder, but it is never 

 met with in the districts where I have been. It is 

 described as a short, blunt snake, with legs, and as 

 being able to sting or bite at each end : and it is said to 

 be the most deadly of all the snakes. That such a reptile 

 as this exists, I never can believe ; although there is a 

 species of short, thick snake, unknown in these parts, 

 found on some of the dry stony rises, and this is pro- 

 bably the one meant. I have heard the most extra- 

 ordinary stories respecting the size and quantities of 

 snakes met with in some parts of the colony ; and this, 

 and the wonderful escapes they have had, is a prolific 

 subject with some old bushmen, but I always received 

 such " yarns " with the greatest of caution. 



The black-snake is the handsomest, but certainly the 

 most venomous and spiteful, in appearance of the whole 

 lot. It is of a rich black colour, above the belly-plates 

 light. We had a variety in which the belly-plates were 

 copper-red, which we called the copper-snake. It was 

 always smaller and thinner than the common black- 



