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Fig. 47.—Diemenia psammophis.

Fig. 48.—Diemenia olivacea. (Northern Australia and New Guinea). (After Krefft.)

Fig. 49.—Diemenia textilis.

Maxillary bones extending forwards as far as the palatines, with a pair of large grooved poison-fangs, followed, after an interspace, by 7–15 small grooved teeth; anterior mandibular teeth much elongated, resembling poison-fangs. Head scarcely distinct from the neck; eyes rather large, with round pupils; nasal shield entire or divided; frontal elongate.

Body cylindrical; scales smooth, in 15–19 rows (more on the neck). Tail moderate or long; subcaudals all or for the most part in 2 rows.

Coloration very variable, orange-yellow, olive, red-brown, or pale brown.

Average length, 1,000–1,700 millimetres.

Habitat: South-eastern New Guinea, and Australia.

Seven species of this genus are known, divided into two groups as follows:—

(1) Scales on the body in 15 rows.

D. psammophis. (fig. 47).—Internasal shields at least half as long as the præfrontals.

D. torquata.—Internasals more than half as long as the præfrontals.

D. olivacea. (fig. 48).—Internasals not more than half as long as the præfrontals; snout broad.

Fig. 50.—Diemenia nuchalis.

(2) Scales in 17 or 19 rows.

D. modesta.—154–165 ventrals.

D. textilis (Brown Snake, fig. 49).—190–232 ventrals.

D. nuchalis (fig. 50).—184–224 ventrals.