Zoology^ NATURAL HISTOEY OF VICTORIA. [Reptiles. 



This is the only Australian snake approaching the true viperine 

 venomous snakes in having the fangs perforated and not grooved ; 

 they are, however, not so movable, but permanently erect, as in 

 the Elapidce : the whole of the characters of the singular genus 

 Acanthophis (of which the present species is the only one known) 

 incline to classing it in the family Viperidce rather than with Colu- 

 brine snakes, although it is intermediate between the two groups in 

 many respects. The popular name seems to be indifferently Death 

 Adder or Deaf Adder. The harmless horny spine at the end of 

 the tail is its most dangerous weapon, in the popular belief. It is 

 generally supposed to be the most deadly of all the Australian 

 snakes. A large dog bitten by a captive Death Adder in one of 

 Dr. Halford's experiments was dead in 18 minutes. 



When irritated it flattens the thick part of the body very greatly, 

 and has a peculiar action of snapping to one side and the other 

 alternately with great quickness when about to strike. 



Not found in the southern parts of Victoria, but common in the 

 hot tracts near the Murray. 



Explanation op Figures. 



Plate 12. — Fig. 1, view of ordinary specimen one-fourth the natural size. Fig. la, head 

 viewed from above, natural size (the longitudinal keel-like ridges and sulci on the plates and 

 scales not sufficiently distinct). Fig \b, side view of head, natural size (the longitudinal groove 

 in the anterior ocular is too definite or too much like a suture dividing two plates). Fig. lc, 

 head viewed from below, showing the chin and throat plates. Fig. Id, front view of snout. 

 Fig. le, under side of tail, natural size, showing the two rows of small scales at the compressed 

 narrow termination beyond the single row of subcaudal plates. Fig. 1/, form of section of tail 

 at base. Fig. \g, side view of compressed slender portion of tail, with terminal spine. Fig. lh, 

 form of compressed section of posterior part of tail. Fig. li, keeled scales of back of neck. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[12] 



