HhJRPETOLOGICAL NOTES. 
167 
Pseudelaps diadema is apparently the type of Dumerihs Furina. Vermicella anntdaia 
is a common snake in the Brisbane district. The extraordinary habits of this snake 
in holding folds of its body vertically upwards have been twice illustrated. 8 
In the synopsis of genera of Gunther’s Catalogue of British Museum Colubrinc 
snakes, p. 210, the generic name appears as ‘‘ Vermicalla ” ; although this has page 
precedence it is an obvious misprint for Gray’s manuscript name as adopted by 
Gunther on p. 236 and repeated in later publications. 
Dr. Bron^ersma (loc. cdt) also points out that the well-known generic name 
Fseudelaps Fitz., must also lapse, being replaced by Aspidomorphus Fitz. The type 
of Fitzinger’s Pseudeh'ps was Flaps furcatus, Curiously enough Fitzinger had used 
in 1826 Psendoelaps for Coluber getulus L., a North American Snake. 
ACANTHOPHIS ANTARCTICUS (Shaw). 
In captivity this snake has the habit of lying in sand, which may partly cover 
it, with the tail cmved around to within a few inches of the head. Slight movements 
may sometimes be seen in the posterior region of the tail and the spine when in this 
position, and it was noted many years ago that this acted as a lure for small birds 
which may peck at the moving tail and are then caj^tured by a very swift lateral 
strike. Birds had been found inside this otherwise very sluggish snake, a fact that 
puzzled me in earlier years. The actual spine terminating the tail is almost flaccid 
and has no penetrating power ; it could not possibly assist in locomotion. 
The Death Adder is a widely distributed snake and is found in a variety of 
habitats. In February last, on a cold w'et night, the writer was called out to despatch 
a specimen v hich was slowly moving across a garden path near a residence on Mount 
Roberts, south-eastern Queensland, at an elevation of nearly 3,006 feet. Fortunately 
this dangerous reptile is rare. A few years ago it w'as a notorious menace in some 
localities in areas closely infested with prickly pear, where it found a favourable 
environment. With the extraordinary cleai'ance of the pear through the introduction 
of Cactoblastis cacionm, it is far less common to day. Valuable studies of this snake, 
with fine illustrations, appear in the Medical Journal of Aiistralia for March 9, 1929, 
by N. Hamilton Fairley, and for August 24, 1929 by C. H. Kellaway and T. Fades. 
SCINCIDAE. 
RHODONA ALLANAE new species. 
Body much elongated ; fore limbs absent ; hind limbs monodactyl, styliform ; 
tail as thick as body. Snout projecting ; rostral large. Nasals contiguous above 
with an extensive suture. Fronto-nasals forming a broad band between nasals 
' Longman. Mem. Qld. Mus. Vol. VI, 1918, p. 42. Plate XV. 
« Thomson Donald. Med. Journ. Aus., July 21, 1934, p. 28. 
