12 
THE OEDEE OE SNAKES— OPIIIDIA. 
are perhaps our most dangerous Ophidians. Two other large snakes—the 
Brown Snake ( Dienienia superciliosa), and the Northern Banded Snake 
(Pseudonaja | nuchalis) —and all the small venomous hut not dangerous 
species, do not distend their necks when angry, and probably bear a close 
resemblance to the Flapidce of South America. The whole are peculiar 
to the Australian region, except the Short-tailed Snake ( Prachyurophis 
australis ), which, according to Gunther, belongs to an American genus. 
The real position of the Death Adder ( AeantliopMs antarctica) has not yet 
been pointed out; in form a true viper, this snake has its poison fangs 
permanently erect, and will therefore be classified according to its den¬ 
tition with the Elapidce. Prom late experiments, it also appears that 
the venom of this reptile is less dangerous than that of the first- 
mentioned four species; thus, a Prog ( Hyla aurea ) and a young Sleeping 
Lizard ( Cyclodus gigas ), severely bitten by a Death Adder, lived for 
more than twelve hours after the bite. The snake was fresh, and very 
vigorous, and the fangs were left in the w T ound for two minutes. 
We have already alluded to the nomenclature of foreign naturalists, 
who will persist in adding to our fauna reptiles which do not exist; the 
typical species of which (solitary specimens) are generally in the Paris 
Museum. Bolyeria multicarinata and Furina colonotos may be mentioned 
as examples. Their habitat is erroneously given as Port Jackson and 
Tasmania, though they have not been observed in these places before or 
since their alleged discovery by the Prench voyagers during their very 
brief sojourn on these shores. 
It will be necessary also to say a few words about the Sea Serpents 
which visit our coast, as they belong to the second suborder, and are 
frequently overlooked in adding up the Australian fauna. 
Two well-known forms—the Binged Sea &imke(Blaturas laticaudatus) 
and the Yellow-bellied Sea Snake ( Pelamis bicolor )—are occasionally thrown 
ashore on the coast of New South Wales; but eight other species have been 
noticed further north, and these are fully described in Gunther’s great w r ork 
“The Beptiles of British India,” from which our figures and descriptions 
of them have been copied. Except the two common species, Sea Snakes are 
rare in collections; and in arranging the riches of the Australian Museum, 
one of these aquatic reptiles has been found that cannot be classed with 
any other known form, and will constitute the type of a new genus. 
