16 
THE ORDER OF SHAKES— OPHIDIA. 
that inflicted the bite was a dangerous one. In reporting their cases, 
parties interested are seldom able to give any information beyond the 
popular name by which a certain snake is known in the district in which 
they reside; and, as no general work on Australian Herpetology has yet 
been published, it is next to impossible, even for those who feel a great deal 
of interest in the matter, to master the often vexatious subject of snake 
classification. 
We shall now proceed to enumerate the various species, and then 
give as many figures as possible, by means of which, and the descriptions, 
students of this branch of science will he better able than heretofore to 
form an opinion respecting venomous and harmless reptiles. 
FIRST SUBORDER. 
INNOCUOUS SNAKES— OP HID II C OL TJBRIFORMES. 
Snakes without grooved or perforated fang-like teeth in front. 
Five families are represented in Australia . 
1. Blind-snakes— 
Typhlopidse. 
2. COLUBELDES- 
Colubridse. 
3. Tree-snakes— 
Dendrophidse. 
C Yentral scales not larger than those on the back; mental groove 
k none; upper labials four. 
f Body neither very slender nor compressed; no fang-like tooth 
k in front or in the middle of the upper jaw. 
f Body and tail much compressed or very slender; head elongate; 
k eye large, pupil round ; no fang-like tooth in front. 
4. Nocturnal Tree- 
snakes — 
Dipsadidse. 
C Body and base of tail much compressed; head sub-triangular, 
) broad behind, very distinct from neck, with short snout; eye 
( very large, pupil elliptical, erect. 
5. Eock-snakes — 
Pythonida?. 
C Body cylindrical, flexible; anterior maxillary teeth unequal in 
t length, rudiments of hind limbs present. 
