Australian blacksnake babies emerge 

 fully formed from membranous "eggs," 

 above, almost immediately after the 

 female extrudes them. Common in the 

 cool Brindabella Range, these venomous 

 snakes prey on skinks. Collet's snake, 

 right, a member of the same genus from a 

 warmer habitat, lays shelled eggs that 

 take two months to hatch. 



36 Natural History 1/94 



