639 



ON THE LIZARDS OF THE CHILLAGOE DISTRICT, 



K QUEENSLAND. 



By R. Broom, M.D., B.Sc. 



During a residence of over six months in North Queensland 

 I devoted most of my spare time to the collection of zoological 

 and botanical specimens. The township of Muldiva in which I 

 resided came into existence in connection with some local silver 

 mining and smelting operations, and when the working of the 

 silver had to be abandoned through the fall in prices the township 

 did not long survive the death of the industry. Muldiva was 

 situated almost on the dividing range between the Walsh River 

 and the Tate, about 70 miles west of Herberton, and at an 

 elevation of about 1800 feet. The country consists for the most 

 part of undulating plains, fx'om which there rise numerous low 

 ranges of hills. To the north the hills and rocks are chiefly 

 composed of quartzite and limestone, which, when disintegrated, 

 give rise to a fairly good soil. To the south the character of the 

 country is very different, almost all the rocks and hills being 

 composed of granite. Here the soil is very poor, being chiefly 

 composed of sand and small pieces of quartz from the disintegrated 

 granite, while at a depth of a foot or two is generally found a 

 substratum of clay from the decomposed felspar. The whole 

 country side is covered with the usual open forest of Eucalyptus 

 trees, with a considerable admixture of other sorts, Grevilleas, 

 Brachychitons, Acacias, &c. During the eight months from 

 April to November, as a rule, there is practically no rain, and 

 almost all the vegetation^ with the exception of the trees, becomes 

 withered up, giving the whole district a very barren appearance. 

 From December till March there are thunderstorms nearly every 

 day with an abundant rainfall, which soon gives rise to a luxuriant 



