6S 
AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
Black-naped Snake. Hoploceplialus nigriceps. 
(Plate XII, fig. 7.) 
Hoploceplialus nigriceps, Gunther , Annal. and Magaz. of Nat. Hist., 3rd Series vol. 
XII, p. 362. 
Scales in 15 rows. 
Abdominal plates, 154. 
One anal plate. 
Subcaudals in a single series, 29. 
Total length, 16 inches. 
Head, 6^ lines. 
Tail, 2 inches. 
Dr. Gunther’s description is as follows :—■ 
Scales in fifteen rows; upper parts of the head and nape of the 
neck uniformly black. Body of moderate length; head rather depressed; 
tail short; eye small, with vertical pupil; snout broad. Vertical shield 
five-sided, two-thirds as broad as long; two postoculars; six upper labials, 
the third and fourth of which enter the orbit; temporals 2 —j— 2 —J— 3 ; only 
the upper of the two anterior temporals is in contact with the postoculars, 
the lower being intercalated between the fifth and sixth labials. The 
anterior pair of lower labials are large, as large as the front chin-shield. 
Ventrals, 154; subcaudals, 29. Uniformly brownish olive above, each 
scale being lighter at the tip. Upper parts of the head and nape uniformly 
black ; lower parts whitish, immaculate. 
There is a specimen of this snake in the Museum collection, that 
was obtained in the Western Districts of New South Wales. This proves 
the species to be Australian, as Dr. Gunther first suspected; it is allied to 
Hoploceplialus gouldii. 
Black-backed Snake. Hoploceplialus nigrescens. 
(Plate YI, figs. 4, 4a.) 
Hoploceplialus nigrescens, Gunther, Ann. and Magaz. of Nat. Hist., vol. IX, 3rd Series, 
p. 131. 
Scales in 15 rows. 
Abdominal plates, 170 to 200. 
One anal plate. 
Subcaudals, 30 to 46. 
Total length, 32 inches. 
Head, 1 inch. 
Tail, 3^ inches. 
