38 THE PROCEEDINGS OP THE LINNEAN SOCIETY 



The reptilia I found to be numerously represented in New 

 Guinea, and there are few, if any, of the Islands in the Straits, 

 however small, in which there were not some lizards. At Katow, 

 I got, by the assistance of the natives, a number of species of 

 snakes, lizards, and tree frogs ; the snakes all, I think, of unde- 

 scribed species, and, with one exception, venomous. All the 

 rivers swarmed with alligators, but they were not easily killed- 

 T got two, however, while at Katow, the largest only nine feet 

 long ; the species I have not yet made out. At Hall Sound I got 

 a huge Liasis, and at Darnley Island a species of Morelia. Some 

 of the lizards are of great beaut}', and all quite new to me. 



My collection of fish numbers about 800, the largest portion of 

 them, however, from the northern coast of Australia. I found it 

 difficult to get the fish of New Guinea ; it was impossible to haul 

 the seine on the rough coral beaches ; the hook was tried, but 

 ineffectually, and the natives of Hall Sound, though always 

 catching fish, would never part with anything edible. I managed, 

 however, to get some very remarkable looking things. I should 

 say that sharks and rays are by far the most numerous tribes 

 of fishes in Torres Straits and the adjacent reefs. I got many 

 species of each. Near the muddy coast of New Guinea, the 

 Siluridae seem well represented. Everywhere, of course, among 

 the reefs Labridce of the most beautiful colours were abundant. 

 Of Percoid fishes, those of the division Pristopomatidce were the 

 most numerous, though the Squamipennes were also rather abun- 

 dant. I got one very curious acronurous fish, evidently of the 

 genus Naseus, but with the frontal horn of very great size. At 

 Darnley Island the ship was attended for several days by a 

 number of large sucking fish Echineis Remora, who adhered to 

 the ship's side, but let go their bold the instant anything edible 

 was thrown overboard. The only fish I met with, having a claim 

 to recognition as an article of food, is a species of large-scaled 

 mullet — Mugil, which abounds about Cape York, and is really 

 delicious. 



Of marine mollusca, a very large collection has been made, so 

 large that I cannot give a guess even at the number and value of 

 the specimens. There are among them many rare and new 



