70 
AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
The present species is perhaps the nearest ally of the Ringed Snake 
('Vermicella occipitalis), and, like that serpent, it permits itself to he 
handled without attempting to bite; there is a peculiar polish on the closely 
adherent scales, just as in the Vermicella ; the tail is very short, the eye 
diminutive, and the tongue white ; the body scales are broad and rounded, 
and in all its characteristics this snake differs so much from other IIoplo- 
cephali that a separate genus will probably he formed for it. 
Black-steiped Snake. Hoploceplialus nigro-striatus. 
(Plate XII, fig. 3.) 
Hoplocephalus nigro-striatus. Krefft , Proc. Zool. Soc., 1864, p. 181. 
Scales in 15 rows. 
Abdominal plates, ISO. 
One anal plate. 
Subcaudal plates in a single series, 62. 
Total length, 11 inches. 
Tail, 2^ inches. 
Body and tail as in H. nigrescens ; belly flat; tail moderate, not 
distinct from trunk; head not distinct from neck, depressed, rounded; 
rostral moderate; anterior frontals broad, hinder edges just touching the 
nostril; posterior frontals much larger, rounded behind; vertical moderate, 
six-sided, very broad; occipitals rather narrow, elongate, much forked and 
pointed behind; one anterior, two posterior oculars; superciliaries and 
eyes small; pupil elliptical, erect; six upper labials, third and fourth 
touching the eye. Upper part of posterior half of tail covered with large 
hexagonal scales; sides and beneath yellowish white; crown, and a 
vertebral line running from the neck to the tip of the tail, black. 
A very fine specimen of tills snake lias been received from Cleveland 
Bay, by Captain Harley, of the steamer “ Havilah.” Mr. George Salting 
discovered the first specimen near Rockhampton. 
