THE VICTORIAN NATUHALIST. 



87 



Faiuily — Dendrophid.e. 

 Dendroi'His (Boie) jn/ncfulatu (Gray) Green Tree Snake. 



FilUlily — PVTHOX [U.K. 



MoRELiA (Gray) variegaia (Gray.) Carpet Snake- 



B. Venomous Colubrine Skakes. 



Family — Elapid^. 



DiEMENiA (Gray) suj)erciUosa (Fisch.) Common Br()^vn 



Snake. 

 D. aspidorhynca (M'Coy.) Sliield-fronted „ 



D. Jiiicrolepidota (M'Coy.) Small-scaled ,, 



D. reticulata (Gray.) Grey Snake. 



PsEUDECHYS (Wagler.) porphyriaciis (Shaw.) Black Snake. 



FuRiNA (Dum et Bibr.) bicucuUata (M'Coy.) Tvvo-lioocled Furina. 

 HoPLocEPHALUS (Cuv.) curtus (Sclil. sp.) Tiger Snake. 



H. superbus (Gunth.) Copj^er-headed Snake. 



H. flagellum (M'Coy) Little Whip Snake. 



H. coronoides (Giinth.) White-lipped Snake. 



H. signatus (Jan.) Black-bellied Snake. 



Vermicella (Gray^) annulata (Gray.) Black and White 



Ringed Snake. 

 AcANTHOPHis (Daudin) antarctica (Shaw, sp.) Death or Deaf 



Adder 



NOTES ON THE PLATYPUS. 



[From a paper read before the Field Club, in October 1880, by 

 Mr. F. J. Williams. They are founded on observations of the 

 haunts and habits of the animal by the author, extending over a 

 period of 28 years. — Ed,] 



Mode of Life. — Its native element is the land, and it visits the 

 water only in quest of food ; it swims Uke a duck. On land it 

 crawls on its belly, over logs or on the banks of muddy creeks. I 

 have, however, occasionally seen them in a partially erect position, 

 though they generally crawl or run lizard-fashion on the ground. 

 When on land they double up the webs of the fore-feet, and then 

 the long claws have a firm hold on the ground, and they can crawl 

 &i a good speed. Their home is on the land ; the nest is not more 

 than nine inches or a foot below the surface of the ground. From 



