APPENDIX. 
417 
Elaps. Native name Norn or Nome Whole body 
covered with spear-shaped scales ; head shining black ; the 
ground colours of the back rich umber, almost black ; 
scuta 161, of a dirty red orange ; fangs two on each side of 
the upper jaw near the lips, small, and bent inwards ; 
tongue forked 
This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the 
animal bitten seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a 
great dread of this reptile ; they however eat of it if they 
kill it themselves, but there is a superstition amongst them 
about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by 
a European. 
The specimen I figured was a small one, 3ft. 9 in. long; 
they are often seen by the natives much larger. I have 
endeavoured to represent it as it generally sleeps or lies in 
wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, lizards, &c. ft delights 
in swamps and marshes. 
Killed October, 1844. 
Fam. Boidje. 
Python . Native name Wakel ov Wa-a-kel. This snake 
is considered by the natives a great delicacy, and by 
their account resembles mutton in flavour, being also 
remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the speci- 
men from which the drawing was made ; but they devoured 
every atom themselves, pretending they did not under- 
stand me. The Wakel differs from the Norn in its habits ; 
although both ascend trees in pursuit of small birds and 
the young of the opossums. The Wakel delights in rocky, 
dry places, near salt water ; they are very sluggish, and 
easily caught by the women, who seize them behind the 
head and wring their necks. They are described to have 
been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, 
was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are 
2 E 
VOL. I. 
