THE ORDER OF SNAKES—OPHIDIA. 7 
Thousands of snakes have been obtained in this way, presented to 
the Museum, and thence transmitted to other institutions. The collectors 
have become interested in the pursuit, and are able at a glance to determine 
the character of their prey; and, happily, not the slightest accident has 
occurred to any of them during the course of eight years. 
With the knowledge of these facts, timid persons may ease their 
minds, and rest assured that from May till September they will seldom 
encounter venomous reptiles in the scrub. The larger and more dangerous 
species, such as the Black Snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus), the Brown 
Snake (Diemenia superciliosa), the Brown-banded Snake (Hoplocephalus 
curtus), the Broad-scaled Snake (Hoplocephalus superbus), and the Death 
Adder (Acanthophis antarctica), always retire under ground, only a few 
young specimens being found under stones. 
The geographical distribution of snakes is very extensive. They 
inhabit almost every country from the south of Sweden and Siberia to 
Tasmania. None have as yet been recorded from New Zealand; but they 
inhabit Ireland—a fact which is perhaps not generally known. India, 
America, and tropical Africa, appear to be the strongholds of the highly 
venomous species ; and in these countries only the dangerous Rattlesnakes, 
Copper-heads, Puff Adders, and Lance-heads, are met with—all of which 
have very long movable fangs, and belong to genera which are not found 
in Australia. 
Our Death Adder is the nearest approach to the Viper, but its fangs 
are permanently erect, and its bite is not nearly so dangerous as that of the 
above-mentioned species. 
The Death Adder is only found in the warmer parts of Australia, 
and not in Tasmania, South Victoria, or South-west Australia. 
Only three species of snakes inhabit Tasmania, though foreign 
naturalists enumerate many more. Tasmanians distinguish the “ Diamond 
Snake” (_Hoplocephalus superbus), the “« Carpet Snake,” and “Black Snake” 
(Hoplocephalus curtus), and the “ Whip Snake” (Hoplocephalus coronoides). 
The first is identical with the Continental Hoplocephalus superbus. The 
