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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 6

Vermicella. Gray. — Vermicella annulata — The Ringed Vermicella

Vermicella. Gray.

Vermicella annulata

The Ringed Vermicella.

The following is Dr. Günther's description:—"Body elongate, rounded, slightly compressed behind; tail very short; head page 57 moderate, not distinct from neck, similar to Elaps; rostral shield very large, rounded, raised above 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 by 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, band across the posterior frontals, a second on the neck; body and tail encircled by alternate black and white (in spirits) rings. Length of cleft of mouth ½″; length of tail 1½″; total length 28″."

The ringed Vermicella, like all other nocturnal snakes, is very seldom met with, and apparently little known to the colonists. I often capture it during the cold season without taking any precaution whatever, as I know from experience that this gentle creature will never bite; but even if it should do so, the wound would be small and of no danger whatever. I have never succeeded to make it bite of its own accord, but had to open its mouth forcibly if I wished to try an experiment. White, in his Voyage to New South Wales, gives a figure of this interesting snake, but little was known until a few years ago with respect to its geographical range. We find it as far south as Eden, Twofold Bay; it occurs again in Western Australia, is tolerably common near Brisbane, and may probably be found much further north. Mr. William Taylor has lately presented a young specimen of this snake to the Museum, which was captured at the Culgoa River; it is not unlikely that this species is found all over the continent from east to west.

In its habits it is nocturnal, and closely allied to the genus Elaps, inhabiting South America; in fact it bears, like our Batrachians, according to Günther, a closer resemblance to the South American than to the Indian fauna.