"Snakes of Australia" by Gerard Krefft

[Hickson]

At the Andrew Isles Book’s stand at the Castle Hill Expo last weekend I purchased a copy of “The Snakes of Australia” by Gerard Krefft. Krefft was the Curator and Secretary of the Australian Museum from 1861 - 1874, and was one of Australia’s first herpetologists. Krefft’s Crowned Snake and Krefft’s Turtle are both named after him, and he described several new genera and many new species (including the Black-headed Python). This book, the first definitive work on the snakes of Australia, was originally published in 1869 and only 700 copies were printed. This is a facsimile reprint of only 1000 copies, produced in 1984, and includes 12 colour plates.
Most of the species entries concern scale counts and descriptions; some entries have colour descriptions of the specimen when in spirits – and some even when alive! But there were a number of things (some taxonomic) that I found of interest.

For instance:

• In 1854 only 20 snakes were known to occur in Australia. 15 years later there were almost 70 species known, of which 42 were known to be venomous but only 5 of which were a danger to man.
• Krefft asserts that: “An Australian Snake that is not thicker than a man’s little finger, whatever may be it’s length, cannot by it’s bite endanger the life of an adult human being”.
• He also states that the venom of the Death Adder is not as dangerous as was first thought, and that there are several other snakes that are deadlier (like the Black Snake Pseudechis porphyriacus). He came to this conclusion after both a lizard and a frog were bitten by an adder and both survived for around 12 hours.
• A species of colubrid, the Australian Ground Snake (Coronella australis), olive green above and white below. A very rare species as only one specimen – the holotype – had been collected and now resides in the British Museum. If anybody has any idea what this species might be, I’d love to know.
• The largest Diamond Snake (Morelia spilota) measured was 10ft 3in, although specimens of 11 ft are known (but not in the Museum’s collection).
• In the genus Liasis there are two species listed – the Children’s Rock Python (L. childrenii) and the Olive-green Rock Snake (Liasis olivacea). Very little is known about both, and even less was written. They didn’t even mention the length of the Olive. They did, however mention another snake - Liasis amythestinus – which was known to inhabit New Ireland – north east of PNG.
• There are 19 different species listed in the genus Hoplocephalus including the three species currently in that genus, plus other species that have been subsequently placed in Suta, Notechis , Austrelaps and Hemiaspis.
• Of the Broad-headed Snake (H. variegatus) Krefft confirms their presence is restricted to the Sydney area only “where their haunts have been invaded by the builder and the gardener ……. The rocky coastline from the entrance to Port Jackson to Botany Bay is still much frequented by them. On the shores of Middle Harbour, and of the Lane Cove and Parramatta inlets, many specimens occur. “
• The Orange-bellied Brown Snake (Pseudechis australis) is known to be restricted to the Eastern Districts. The Museum had only a single specimen in the collection. There is no mention of it’s venom.
• The North Australian Banded Snake (Pseudonaja nuchalis) is known only from North-Western Australia. A very detailed description of it’s scalation is given, but again there is no mention of it’s venom.

The Snakes of Australia is not a book for everybody, but if this kind of thing interests you then it will be a welcome addition to your library.



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