Zoology.~\ 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. 



[Reptiles. 



the white gets a slight yellow tinge, and the black a brown co»at, 

 when the skin is old ; the pattern varies a little on the head, and 

 the figured specimen differs from all the others in having the black 

 bands wide and including a white patch, below. The curious 

 peculiar character of having no teeth behind the fang in the upper 

 jaw is quite clear in all the specimens examined. The size of the 

 ocular plates varies in the different specimens ; and in the one 

 figured the fourth labial plate is divided so as to give an erroneous 

 appearance of a third posterior ocular, which does not exist in the 

 other specimens. 



The following table gives the number of scales and measure- 

 ments of four of the specimens in the National Museum 

 collection : — 





Scales of Back. 



Lower Plates. 



Length. 



Color 



Specimens. 



Across 



middle. 



Over base 

 of Tail. 



Abdomen. 



Tail 

 (pairs). 



Total. 



Tail. 



Rings. 



Figured specimen ... 

 2nd, from Lake Cooper 

 3rd, „ 

 4th 



15 

 15 

 15 

 ,5 



14 



15 

 15 

 15 



223 



229 

 217 

 212 



23 

 19 

 24 

 24 



ins. lines. 

 20 



25 



19 



16 6 



ins. lines. 

 1 3 



1 5 



1 5 



1 3 



35 

 42 

 40 

 32 



Explanation of Figures. 



Plate 52. — Fig. 1, average specimen, natural size. Fig. la, profile of head, enlarged three 

 diameters. Fig. \b, top view of head, magnified three times to show the form and disposition of 

 the plates. Fig. lc, lower side of head, magnified three diameters. Fig. Id, under side of tip of 

 i magnified four diameters. Fig. le, under side of tail, showing the two rows of sub-caudal 

 plates and a few of the abdominal plates ; natural size. Fig. \f, interior of mouth, magnified 

 to show the two flings and two rows of palatine teeth. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[ 12] 



