Burton's Snake Lizard is found in most Australian habitats except for rainforest, extreme desert and high mountains.

It is a large legless lizard (290 mm in length) whose long, wedge shaped head has a sharply pointed snout. The scales on the head are small and do not form a pattern. The colour and markings are very variable and the scales of the upper surface have a metallic sheen. The underside is coloured and patterned. The eyes have vertical pupils and the lower eyelid is fixed and see through. There are no front limbs and the hind limbs are small, triangular flaps.

These lizards usually hunt in the early morning and evening. They wait in hiding fro other lizards to pass by, then catch and eat them.

The larger female lays 1,2 or 3 eggs in a nest with other females' eggs.