74 
AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
Krefpt’s Dwarf Snake. Cacophis Tcrefftii. 
(Plate XI, figs. 5, 5a.) 
Cacophis, krefftii, Gunther , Annals and Mag. Mat. Mist., 3rd Series, vol. XII, p. 361, 
Scales in 15 rows. 
Abdominal plates, 156. 
Two anal plates. 
Subcaudals in two series, 28/28 to 36/36. 
Total length, 12 inches. 
Head, f inch. 
Tail, 1| inch. 
Scales smooth, in 15 rows; head rather depressed, of moderate 
width and length; rostral shield nearly twice as broad as high, scarcely 
reaching the upper surface of the head ; anterior frontals not much smaller 
than posterior; vertical rather longer than broad, six-sided, with an obtuse 
angle in front, and with a somewhat acute one behind; occipitals rounded 
behind, nearly as long as the vertical and posterior frontals together. 
Nasal elongate, simple, pierced by the nostril in the middle, in contact 
with the single preocular (there is a small shield intercalated between the 
posterior frontal and the hind portion of the nasal). Two postoculars. 
Upper labials, 6 ; temporals, 1+2. Three pairs of small chin-shields, sub¬ 
equal in size. Eye rather small, with the pupil round. Body rounded, of 
moderate length; tail rather short; ventrals, 156 ; anal bifid ; sub¬ 
caudals, 28. 
Upper parts black, each scale of the outer series with an indistinct 
dark violet streak. A yellowish band commences on the snout, and passes 
through the eye and round the nape, where it is pure yellow, whilst its 
anterior and lateral portions are dotted with black ; it is also longitudinally 
divided by a black line running from the eye for some distance backwards. 
Lower jaw brownish, marbled with yellowish. Each ventral shield yellow, 
with a black outer and hinder margin; a black band along the middle of 
the subcaudals. 
Our figures are considerably enlarged. The habitat of this species 
appears to be the N. E. Coast of Australia. Mr. James E. Wilcox sent 
the first specimens, and Mr. George Masters obtained more examples north 
of the Clarence at Ipswich and Wide Bay in Queensland. No specimens 
are on record from the western portions of this continent. 
