BROWN SNAKE

any of several species of snakes named for their usual predominating colour. In New Guinea and Australia the name brown snake is applied to members of the genus Pseudonaja (formerly Demansia). These snakes are slender, small-headed members of the cobra family, Elapidae. Brown snakes range from 1 to 2 m (3 to 6 feet) in length. They are generally brown in colour, though some species also have black speckles or bands, and the bellies of most species are a creamy yellow. The snakes are active during the daytime and feed on small lizards, mice, and ground-dwelling birds. They are alert, fast-moving, highly venomous snakes that are quite dangerous to humans. Brown snakes are found over most of Australia. The best-known species is the eastern brown snake (P. textilis), which grows to about 2 m. Other species in the genus are the western brown snake (P. nuchalis) and the dugite (P. affinis). New World brown snakes, sometimes called grass snakes, are the two species of the genus Storeria, family Colubridae. They are found from eastern Canada to Honduras and are small, mostly less than 30 cm (12 inches) long, shy, and harmless. The northern brown snake (S. dekayi) is the only North American snake to survive in abundance in densely populated regions. The indigo snake (q.v.) is called brown snake in tropical America.