Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/244

 equator, as the latitude in which I encountered this one, which was in 30&deg; 50' south. The coasts of Coromandel, Sumatra, and New Guinea are those where this genus of serpents is principally met with; Dampier, however, saw some on the north-western shores of New Holland, and Sir Joseph Banks on the eastern coast, but none farther from the equator than 20&deg; south. That they extend farther from the equator is, however, evident, from the apparent recognition by the blacks of the species I killed; besides, I saw, on another occasion, a portion of the skeleton of a snake, which might certainly have appertained to a land-snake, but which, from the locality where I found it, most probably had belonged to an Hydrophis. As an instance of the singular habits and poisonous nature of the genus Hydrophis, I have copied the following anecdote from the last new edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica.

"Soon after the opening of the bar in the month of October, 1815, reports prevailed at Madras that a great shoal of sea-snakes had entered the river, and that many natives, whilst crossing, had been bitten, and had died in consequence. A reward was offered for each of these creatures captured and carried to the superintendant [sic] of police. Pandauls were erected opposite to the two principal fords, and skilful natives, under the direction of Dr. M&lsquo;Kenzie, (to whom we are indebted for the information), were provided with eau-de-luce, and other