82 AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
The habits of this species are tolerably well known; it frequents 
sandy localities, feeds on frogs, lizards, small mammals, &c., and retires 
under ground from April or May to September. When disturbed it flattens 
out its whole body, and darts right and left as quick as thought, but 
it does not jump, and certainly never jumps backwards ; it raises its head in 
the act of striking, and then slightly only ; this must be mentioned, as our 
figure was taken froma preserved specimen. - The head, plate XI, fig. 7, is 
that of the red variety. 
DENISONTA, Krefft. 
Head high and quadrangular, distinct from trunk, regularly shielded, 
but with a large loreal which is absent in all other Australian venomous 
snakes. Body not very elongate and rounded, tail distinct, ending in a 
large conical spine. Scales in 17 rows; subcaudals entire. 
ORNAMENTED SNAKE. Denisonia ornata. 
(Plate XI, fig. 4.) 
Scales in 17 rows. 
Abdominal plates, 136. 
One anal plate. 
Subcaudals, 29. 
Total length, 6 inches. 
Head, 4 inch. 
Tail, 2 inch. 
This species is a very peculiar form, on account of the loreal 
shield, which, in our venomous Colubrine Snakes is always absent. The head 
is rather thick, distinct from trunk, high, and quadrangular, with shelving 
snout, and, in this respect, resembling the genus Acanthophis. The 
markings of the upper and lower labials, the chin-shields, and the first 10 
or 15 abdominal plates, are almost identical with those of young Death 
Adders of the first year. The occiput is black from the posterial frontals 
to the commencement of the neck, leaving a mottled spot on the inner 
margin of the superciliaries, and another very small one at the posterior 
part of the vertical. The tips of the two occipitals and the scale between 
