16 THE ORDER OF SNAKES—OPHIDIA. 
that inflicted the bite was a dangerous one. In reporting their cases, 
parties interested are seldom able to give any information beyond the 
popular name by which a certain snake is known in the district in which 
they reside; and, as no general work on Australian Herpetology has yet 
been published, it is next to impossible, even for those who feel a great deal 
of interest in the matter, to master the often vexatious subject of snake 
classification. 
We shall now proceed to enumerate the various species, and then 
give as many figures as possible, by means of which, and the descriptions, 
students of this branch of science will be better able than heretofore to 
form an opinion respecting venomous and harmless reptiles.. 
FIRST SUBORDER. 
INNOCUOUS SNAKES—OPHIDIT COLUBRIFORMUES. 
Snakes without grooved or perforated fang-like teeth in front. 
Five families are represented in Australia. 
1, Brovp-snaxes— 
Typhlopide. 
Ventral scales not larger than those on the back; mental groove 
none; upper labials four. 
2. CoLUBRIDES— 
Colubride. 
Body neither very slender nor compressed; no fang-like tooth 
in front or in the middle of the upper jaw. 
3. TREE-sNAKES— 
Dendrophide. 
Body and tail much compressed or very slender; head elongate ;. 
eye large, pupil round ; no fang-like tooth in front. 
SNAKES— broad behind, very distinct from neck, with short snout; eye 
Dipsadide. very large, pupil elliptical, erect. 
5. Rock-syaKns— 
Body cylindrical, flexible; anterior maxillary teeth unequal in 
Pythonide. 
4. NocturnaL Tres- {e and base of tail much compressed ; head sub-triangular, 
{ length, rudiments of hind limbs present. 
