snug way in which they coil up, and their disinclination to move, are highly dangerous.  The latter is very handsome, the back of a brilliant black, and the under portion of a sea-shell pink.  Their skin is sometimes used by bushmen as a cover to their waistbelts, which are much beautified thereby.  The whip-snakes are of all sizes and of all colours; in fact, under this name the colonists include all the slender climbing snakes, so many of which inhabit Australia.  In my opinion, these are the worst; for they come boldly into your room in search of warmth, and may be found stowed away in a boot, or under the pillow, or in any place where they are least expected.  Last and worst of our venomous snakes comes the death, or deaf, adder, for it is called indiscriminately by both names, and amply justifies either prefix.  The hideous reptile is very thick and stumpy in proportion to its length, which rarely exceeds two feet, whilst its circumference may be put down at one-fifth of its total measurement.  The tail is terminated by a small curved spike, which is commonly regarded as the sting; but though when touched it doubles up, and strikes with this horn, as well as bites, I do not think the tail does any material damage, but this opinion one would find it difficult to make a bushman credit.  I once saw a man take a death-adder up —­ quite unintentionally, you may be sure —­ between two shingles, and it immediately struck backwards with both head and tail, the two extremities luckily meeting above his hand.  From the sluggish habits of this reptile, it is popularly accounted deaf, and it seems quite unalarmed even by the report of a gun.  You may walk over it a dozen times, as it lies basking in the sun, usually in the most frequented part of the road, and it will take not the slightest notice, but if touched, however gently, it bites at once.

When I first went to Cardwell, I was talking about death-adders, and the naive remark made by one of the inhabitants amused and at the same time rather terrified me, for the perfect knowledge he exhibited of the reptiles showed plainly how common they were there.

“Nasty things,” he said, “but Lord, they won’t hurt you.  Best not try to get one alive into a bottle, though.  I tried that little game on, with a pickle-jar and a stick, but I couldn’t get him in, and he doubled up and very nearly bit me; his tail just grazed my hand as it was.”

I thanked my informant, and assured him from the bottom of my heart, that whenever I ‘did’ try to coax a death-adder into a bottle, I would benefit by his experience and use the greatest caution.

The eye of this snake is remarkable for its vivid yellow, crossed by a black longitudinal pupil.  The colour of the body is a mixture of dull hues, and the abdomen pinkish; the head broad, thick, flattened, and its ‘tout ensemble’ hideously repulsive.  But I am digressing, and leaving poor Cato still uncared for.