THE I'lilNCIPAL SPECIES OF POISONOrs SXAKES 



,S9 



Pic 



5:2. — rk'ni.wnia sii/iciba (The Copper- 

 head). 



anterior maiidibular teeth greatly developed. Head faidy distinct 

 from the body ; eyes small, with round or vertically elliptic pupils ; 

 nasal shield entire or divided. Body cylindrical ; scales smooth, in 

 15 — ly rows ; tail moderate or short ; sabcaudals in a single row, 

 except in one species. 



According to the British 

 Museum Catalogue, the genus 

 Deiiisonia includes twenty- 

 one species, the principal 

 characters of which are as 

 follows : — 



(1) D. fiitperhd (The Cop- 

 perhead. Fig. 5'2). — Scales in 

 15 — 17 rows; nasal shield 

 entire, in contact with the 

 pra?ocular ; ventral scales 145 — IGO ; subcaudals 41 — 50. 



Colour brownish to dark olive on the back, often yellow or 

 salmon-red on the sides ; belly yellowish or greyish-olive. 



Total length, 1,1)10 nnllimetres ; tail KiO. 



Habitat : New South AVales, Southern Australia, Tasmania. 



C2) D. coronata. — Scales in 15 rows : lo.S — 151 ventrals ; HS — 

 51 subcaudals. 



Colour olive, with a black streak on 

 each side of the head ; belly yellowish 

 or pale olive. 



Total length, 480 millimetres ; 

 tail i)5. 



Habitat: Western Australia and 

 New South Wales. 



(3) D. coronoidcs (fig. 53). — Scales in 15 rows ; 136 — 151 

 ventrals ; 39 — 57 subcaudals. 



Colour brown, lips yellow ; belly salmon-red to dark olive-grey ; 

 end of tail salmon-red. 



Total length, 440 millimetres ; tail 80. 



FiO. 53, — Tienisonid coroiioidcK. 



