1895. G. Metcalfe, `Australian Zoology,' p. 27:
"As a rule, diamond snakes have almost every scale of the body marked with a yellow spot in the centre. . . . The abdominal plates are yellow, and more or less blotched with black, and many species . . . have a number of diamond-shaped yellow spots upon the body, formed by a few of the lighter scales, and hence their name has probably arisen."
<i>Green Tree-Snake</i>.
Name given, owing to its colour, to the commonest Australian tree-snake, <i>Dendrophis punctulata</i>, Gray. It is a non-venomous form, feeding on frogs, young birds, and eggs, and rarely exceeds the length of six feet.
1869. G. Krefft, `The Snakes of Australia,' p. 24:
"Young and half grown Tree Snakes are olive-green above and light brown below . . . when angry, the body of this serpent expands in a vertical direction, whilst all venomous snakes flatten their necks horizontally. The green Tree snake, in a state of excitement is strongly suggestive of one of the popular toys of childhood."
<i>Little Whip-Snake</i>.
Name applied to a small venomous species of snake, <i>Hoplocephalus flagellum</i>, McCoy. Common in parts of Victoria, but not exceeding a foot in length.
1859. H. Kingsley, `Geoffrey Hamlyn,' vol. ii. c. xxvii. p. 190:
"He wished it had been a whip-snake instead of a magpie."