78 
AUSTRALIAN SNAKES. 
YEEMICELLA, Gray. 
Body elongate, rounded ; tail very short; head similar to Maps; 
one nasal, pierced hy the nostril; no loreal—replaced hy anterior ocular 
and nasal; one anterior, two posterior oculars. Scales smooth, not much 
imbricated, in fifteen rows ; those of the vertebral line not larger; anal 
and subcaudals bifid. Grooved minute fang in front; no other tooth 
behind. 
This genus shews the remarkable fact, that the Australian Conocerci, 
without smooth teeth behind the fang, are more closely allied to the 
American Maps than to the East Indian ones. ( Gunther.) 
Black and white Binged Snake. Vermicella annulata. 
(Plate XI, figs. 12 and 12a.) 
Vermicella annulata, Gray, MSS. Brit. Mas., fy Gunther, Cat. of Colubr. Snakes in Coll. 
Brit. Mas., p. 236. 
Scales in 15 rows. 
Abdominal plates, 225. 
Two anal plates. 
Subcaudals, 18/18. 
Total length, 28 inches. 
Head, inch. 
Tail, I !,- inch. 
The following is Dr. Gunther’s description:—“ Body elongate, 
rounded, slightly compressed behind; tail very short; head moderate, 
not distinct from neck; rostral shield very large, rounded, raised ah ore 
the surface of snout; occipitals rather narrow; two posterior oculars; 
anterior large, replacing the loreal together with the nasal; nasal shield 
single, pierced in the centre hy the small nostril; six upper labials, third 
and fourth coming into the orbit; one large temporal shield in contact 
with the upper posterior ocular, two smaller ones behind. Scales smooth, 
large, rather rounded behind, in fifteen rows. Anal and subcaudals bifid. 
Tail ending in an obtuse conical scale. Two small fangs in front of upper 
jaw, no other teeth behind; palatine and mandibulary teeth equal in 
length. Crown of head and muzzle black; a yellowish (in fresh specimens 
white) hand across the posterior frontals, a second on the neck; body and 
tail encircled by alternate black and white rings. Length of cleft of 
mouth, Y ; length of tail, 1 ; total, 28 // .” 
