COMMUNICATED UY THOS. STEEL. 359 



SCINCID.E. 



L. novce-guinece, Meyer. 

 L. semonis, Oudemans. 

 Emoa cyanogaster, Lesson. 

 E. cyanura, Lesson. 

 Ahlepharus boutonii, Desjardins. 



Batrachia. 



Three frosrs were sent in the collection. 



Hyla arfakiana, Peters and Doria. — One example, agreeing well 

 with the description and figures in the Ann. Mus. Genova, 1878, 

 except that the tympanum is relatively larger in our specimen, 

 being in diameter half as large as the eye. The authors describe 

 extreme variation in colour. The present specimen is (in spirit) 

 purplish-brown above and brownish below; the thighs are purple, 

 spotted with whitish behind. 



Batrachopsis melanopyga, Doria. — Two individuals, measuring 

 45 and 47 mm. respectively from snout to vent. The tympanum 

 is nearly as long in vertical diameter as the eye is wide. There 

 is no perceptible dark streak on the canthus rostralis. Otherwise 

 the specimens agree with the generic and specific descriptions. 



ii. Ophidia and Pisces. — By J. Douglas Ogilby. 



The collection of snakes numbers eight, belonging to the follow- 

 ing species : — 



1. TrOPIDONOTUS (?) PICTURATUS. 



According to Dr. Boulenger this is a widely spread and very 

 variable species; and as it seems to me that it may be possible to 

 break it up into well-marked subspecies or local races, I think it 

 advisable to give the following description of the Fife Bay speci- 

 men in order to facilitate comparison with specimens from other 

 localities : — 



Eye as long as its distance from the anterior border of the 

 nostril. Rostral much broader than deep, just visible from above; 

 internasals a little broader than long, as long as the prefrontals. 



