moves out of the way of persons approaching it; I am therefore inclined to think, that the original popular name assigned to this reptile, must have been Deaf Adder, instead of the Death Adder.[1]
The Black snake.—This species is of extremely active habits, bold, strong, and very vindictive if assailed. The general length of this snake near Sydney, is about four or five feet, but more to the northward it attains the length of eight feet. Its colour, as its name implies, is of a leaden black, with scarlet bands on its belly. This is one of the most common snakes, especially in the northern part of the colony, and is very venomous; although Dr. Shaw, who first described it in his work on Zoology, did not consider it a venomous species. I have, however, known too many instances to the contrary, to have any doubt as to its being venomous; and I see that M. Lesson, the distinguished French naturalist, who accompanied the Coquille in her voyage in the South seas, has especially noticed the extreme venom of this kind of snake, under the name of Naja Porphyrica.
The poison of the generality of Australian snakes, appears to act differently from that of the rattlesnake of America, or the viper of Europe, for
- ↑ Lieutenant Breton mentions, that a man who was bitten by a Death adder, died in a short period, with blood gushing from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears, and the body became instantaneously a mass of putrefaction, so that it was with difficulty removed into a grave.
