134 
P. A. RAWLINSON 
‘Erebus & Terror' Expedition". SVL 677 mm; T 133 
mm; MSR 15;V 148; SC 45 all single; A 1; UL6(3and 
4 suborbital): LL 6. Postoculars 2, in contact with both 
anterior temporals. Temporals 2 T 2. Upper lip col¬ 
ouration typical o fA. superbus( s.s.). Specimen in poor 
condition, epidermis peeling, and with head dam¬ 
age. 
BMNH 1946.1.19.5. (Boulenger's specimen d). Label 
on jar stating “ Denisonia superba (Type) Tasmania A. 
J. Smith". SVL 552 mm: T 108; MSR 15; V 148; SC 41 
all single: A 1; UL 6 (3 and 4 suborbital); LL 7. Post¬ 
oculars 2, in contact with both anterior temporals. 
Temporals 2 + 2. Upper lip colouration typical of A. 
superbus (s.s.). Specimen in poor condition, epidermis 
peeling badly. 
BMNll 1946.1.20.38. (Boulenger's specimen f)- Label 
on jar stating “1946.1.20.37-38. Denisonia superba 
(Tvpes) Tasmania R. Gunn". SVL 425 mm; T 99 mm; 
MSR 15; V 150; SC 46 all single; A 1; UL 6 (3 and 4 
suborbital): LL 6. Postoculars 2, in contact with both 
anterior temporals. Temporals 2 + 2, Upper lip col¬ 
ouration typical of A. superbus (s.s.). 
BMNH 1946.1.20.34. (Boulenger's specimen h). Label 
on jar stating *‘1946.1.20.34-36, Denisonia superba 
(Types) Australia". SVL 644 mm; T 140 mm; MSR 15; 
V 151; SC 49 all single; A 1; UL 6 (3 and 4 suborbital); 
LL 6. Postoculars 2, in contact with upper anterior 
temporal. Temporals 2 + 2. Upper lip colouration 
typical of A. superbus (s.s.). Specimen in reasonable 
condition, with some soft patches and peeling epi¬ 
dermis. 
BMNH 1946.1.20.35. (Boulenger's specimen g). Label 
on jar stating “1946.1.20.34-36. Denisonia superba 
(Tvpes) Australia". SVL 672 mm;T 140 mm; MSR 15; 
V 149; SC 47 all single; A 1: UL 6 (3 & 4 suborbital); LL 
7. Postoculars 2, in contact with upper anterior tem¬ 
poral and with fourth and fifth upper labials. Tem¬ 
porals 2 + 3. Upper lip colouration typical of A 
superbus ( s.s.). Specimen in reasonable condition, with 
some soft patches and peeling epidermis. 
BMNH 1946.1.20.36. (Boulenger's specimen i). Label 
on jar stating “1946.1.20.34-36, Denisonia superba 
(Types) Australia". SVL 154 mm; T 29 mm; MSR 15; 
V 150; SC 43 all single; AI;UL6(3and4 suborbital); 
LL 7. Postoculars 2, in contact with both anterior tem¬ 
porals. Temporals 2 + 2. Upper lip colouration with 
dark patches typical of juvenile A. super bus (s.s). Speci¬ 
men in good condition, with some soft patches. 
APPENDIX 2 
Original descriptions of species for which orig¬ 
inal type specimens no longer exist. 
Alecto labialis , from Jan 1859b: 21. 
“This snake, with a steel-coloured body, is dis¬ 
tinguished from its congeners by the labials, half 
yellow, half black; the lower part of the head [sic, read 
‘body’] is very dark coloured, except for the head 
which is also variegated with yellow and black; tip of 
tail white; 15 scale rows; after the cloaca, 11. Ventrals. 
136; anal single; [sub-]caudals entire, 42; total length. 
55"; tail 9"." [Translated from French.] 
Naja (Hamachyas) scutata , from Peters 1961: 690. 
“One anterior preorbital shield much higher than long, 
2 postorbitals. Only 6 supralabial shields, the 3rd and 
4th abutting the eve: the first lower temporal shield is 
the same size as a supralabial and extends ventrallv 
between the last two. Scale rows just behind the head 
16, at the middle of the body 17. All subcaudals entire. 
Above olive-coloured, with light, distinct transverse 
bands on the second half of the body. Undersidelight 
greenish yellow, the belly and subcaudal scales with 
blackish bases. Ventral shields 173. the last (anal) en¬ 
tire, subcaudals 45. Behind the fang the upper jaw 
bears four solid, grooved teeth, which increase in size 
from first to last and on each side the first three follow 
closely after one another, [while] the last (fourth) is 
separated from them by a larger gap. - Total length 
1.30 m; head 0.046 m; tail 0.168 m.-Java.” [Trans¬ 
lated from German.] 
Hoplocephalus ramsayi , from Krefft 1864: 180. 
“Scales in 15 rows. Anal bifid. Ventrals 164. Subcau¬ 
dals 51. Total length lOVT-.tail 2\ Body rather elongate 
and rounded; head scarcely distinct from neck, rather 
high and elongate, with obtuse muzzle; rostral just 
reaching to the surface of crown: anterior frontals 
moderate, rounded in front; posterior ones larger, bent 
down on the sides; one anterior, two posterior oculars, 
the lower forming about one-fourth of the orbit; ver¬ 
tical narrow', six-sided, much longer than broad; 
superciliaries nearly the same size as the vertical; occi- 
pitals moderate, not forked behind: six upper labials, 
the third and fourth forming the lower part of the orbit; 
no loreal, replaced by the elongate nasal, second and 
third upper labial, anterior ocular and bent down an¬ 
terior frontal. One nasal, pierced by the nostril: scales 
moderate, rhomboid, in fifteen rows; tail rather short, 
scarcely distinct from trunk, tapering; eye moderate, 
pupil rounded: grooved fang in front, some smaller 
smooth teeth behind. 
Dark olive-green above, each scale tipped with red¬ 
dish, in particular those on the sides; crown and a 
narrow vertebral line, one scale w r ide. somewhat 
darker than the other parts; this line extends to the root 
of the tail; upper labials and chin shields whitish, 
marked with olive-brown in the upper corners. Be¬ 
neath yellow, each ventral scale with a blackish mar¬ 
gin; subcaudals nearly black. 
Mr E. P. Ramsay discovered this new Snake in the 
neighbourhood of Braidwood, N. S. Wales; it is ap¬ 
parently a young specimen, its total length not exceed¬ 
ing 1 0*/2 inches." 
Hoplocephalus fiuscus, from Steindachner 1867: 82. 
“Syn. Hoplocephalus Cuvieri Fitz. (excl. Syn. et Hopl. 
Cuvieri Fitz. Syst. Rept. p. 28), Ausb. p. 410. 
