416 
APPENDIX. 
will recover, yet I am very doubtful of this account, more 
particularly from the women differing from the men, as well 
as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. Another 
ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van 
Diemen’s Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very 
similar to this ; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes 
after the bite, although the piece was almost instantaneously 
cut out. 
The women of King George’s Sound declare the bite of 
the Torn-ock mortal ; but the men laugh at that, and main- 
tain the three days’ “ couple,” (sleep) will restore the 
patients. 
The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 
6 or 7 feet long. This is a favourite food of the natives of 
King George’s Sound. 
Coluber? Native name Bar dick. Dirty olive green 
over the whole back; belly dirty white ; scuta 130. 
The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of 
the part for a day or two, and goes off. 
Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught 
October 1841. 
Coluber , Native name Torkite or Torkyte. Back, from 
the point of the tail to the point of the nose, dark sepia 
brown ; under the head yellow ; and towards the middle of 
the belly orange ; scales minute ; scuta 140 ; tongue forked ; 
teeth very minute ; no fangs observable. Caught August 
30th, 1844. 
Not at all dreaded by the natives ; venomous, but notdeadly, 
the bite merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. 
Elaps melanocephalus . Native name Werr. Dirty 
olive green on the back, from the neck to the tail; scuta 
1 47, dirty reddish orange ; head black from the nose to 
neck ; sides of the head white ; tongue forked. 
Doubtful if poisonous ; little dreaded by the natives. 
Killed October 12th, 1845. 
