TIGER SNAKE

(Notechis scutatus), Australian member of the cobra family, Elapidae. The snake's venom, which contains a blood-clotting agent as well as a nerve paralyzer, is often fatal to humans. Before striking, the tiger snake flattens its head and neck, cobra fashion. This common serpent, most numerous in swampy places in southern regions, is variable in colour but often has brown-and-yellow bands. It averages 1.2 m (4 feet) in length.