Diemenia Superciliosa. Fischer.

Ringed Diemenia.

Scales in 17 rows near neck.

Scales in 15 rows near tail.

Subcaudals 73/73.

Anal bifid.

Ventrals 228.

Superciliaries larger than vertical; occipitals widely forked, rounded, broad; rostral high, reaching to the surface of crown; one nasal, one anterior, two posterior oculars; superciliaries prominent above the eye; anterior ocular grooved near the top; posterior frontals much larger than the anterior ones, bent down on the sides and with nasal, anterior ocular, and second and third upper labial replacing the loreal; belly flat. Dark brown above, a lighter band just crossing behind the occipitals; side of face and chin much lighter than the other parts of the body; belly yellowish, sides of ventrals and lower edge clouded with purple grey, forming a series of irregular blotches, each ventral with a distinct darkish streak on its lower edge. Half-grown and sometimes adult individuals show traces of from seventy to seventy-five black rings, which in the young snakes are very distinct. The following description is applicable to young specimens up to three years old:—

Muzzle light brown; a black triangular spot covering the region between the eyes and the occiput as far as the hinder margin page 44 of the occipitals—this streak is bent down on the sides of the face, and behind this dark spot is a white narrow streak and another broad dark band reaching down to the edge of the labial shields; then follows again a white streak and a second black band, but much smaller than the previous one, and so alternately a broader brownish and a narrow black band to within an inch of the apical half of the tail; the black bands are occasionally interrupted, leaving a blank on the other side of the body; including these interrupted streaks, from seventy to eighty may be counted upon body and tail, seventy-five is the usual number. The belly in young and half-grown individuals is covered with yellowish spots, which at a more mature age form into the black blotches mentioned in the description of the adult.

The great difference in the coloration of young half-grown and adult individuals has given rise to a variety of names: for some time I tried in vain to reduce them, but at last succeeded by bringing together a complete series of this snake in various stages of growth, from the egg upwards. Dr. Albert Günther to whom drawings as well as specimens in good preservation were submitted, states in a paper read before the Zoological Society of London,

The geographical range of this species extends over almost every part of Australia, as I have seen specimens from Cape York, Adelaide, the Murray, and other localities. When full grown, this Snake may be dangerous to man; in its habits it is diurnal, and found generally in rocky localities; young Snakes are frequently found under stones during the cold season, while those of a more mature age retire into the ground.