i6 



Habitat: New Guinea (Simpsonhafen). — Bismarck Archi- 

 pelago. 



Feeds on mice; nocturnal. 



2. Li as is Gray. 

 (Gray, Zool. Miscell. p. 44, 1842). 



Head distinct from neck, covered with symmetrical shields; 

 nostril in a semi-divided nasal; a pair of internasals, separating 

 the nasals; rostral and upper labials pitted or without pits; 

 some lower labials pitted; eye rather small; pupil vertical; 

 praemaxillary toothed; anterior teeth very long. Body cylin- 

 drical or a little compressed, covered with small smooth scales. 

 Tail moderate or short, not or very slightly prehensile; sub- 

 caudals in two rows or the greater part only. 



Distribution. Timor; New Guinea; N. Australia. 



Key to the Indo-Australian species. 



A. Rostral without pits i. Z. fuscus p. 16. 



B. Rostral with a pit or groove on each side. 



I. Two pair of praefrontals. 



a. Rostral scarcely visible from above; two post- 

 oculars ; first and second upper and five lower 

 labials pitted 2. Z. mackloti p. 17. 



/'. Rostral clearly visible from above; three post- 

 oculars; first, second and third upper and three 

 lower parietals pitted 3- Z. tornieri p. 18. 



II. A single pair of praefrontals. 



1. Upper labials 12 or 13, two or three anterior 

 pitted; 6 lower labials pitted; parietals followed 



by small shields; subcaudals 62 — 79 4. Z. alhertisi p. 18. 



2. Upper labials 10 or 11, two or three anterior 

 pitted; 4 lower labials pitted; parietals as long 



as frontal; subcaudals 82 — 88 5. Z. papuanus p. 19. 



I. Liasis fuscus Peters. 



Liasis fuscus^ Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1873, p. 607. 

 Liasis fuscus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, p. 78 (s. syn.). 



Rostral more broad than deep, just visible from above, not 

 pitted; internasals more long than broad, half the length of 

 the praefrontals, which extend to the frontal or are separated 



