95 



sometimes the throat in the hitter with round or longitudinally 

 elongate black spots. 



The number of specimens at my disposal is not sufficient to 

 "warrant an anatomical dissection of two examples, with the view 

 of verifying the sex, but, judging from analogy, I consider that 

 the black-throated specimens are the adult males. Except where 

 special mention is made there is absolutely no difference between 

 the two forms. 



The specimens examined measured from three and one-third to 

 eight inches. 



Inches. Millin. 



Total length 7-40 ... 185 



Length of head... ... ... 0'65 ... 16 



Width of head 048 ... 12 



Length of body... ... ... 2-10 ... 52-5 



Length of fore limb 0-97 ... 24 



Length of hind limb ... ... 1-4.5 ... 36 



Length of tail ... ... ... 4'67 ... 116'5 



The above are the dimensions of an adult male (?). 



Lygosoma (Eiiioa) baudixi. 

 MaVjouya baudinii, Gray, Catal. p. 95. 



Several specimens of this Skink are in the collection. 



OPHIDIA. 



The Ophidian Reptiles included in the collection are unfortu- 

 nately but few in numl^er, four specimens only, belonging to thi-ee 

 genera, having been forwarded ; they are, however, of no little 

 interest. Of the Carpet Snake ( Morelia variegata) there are 

 two examples, an adult and a young one, the latter being 

 described below, as I do not know of any description of the species 

 in this stage : it appears to be the common Python of south-eastern 

 New Guinea as there are several specimens in the Macleay 

 Museum fi-om Katow. The second species represented consists of 

 a fine example of the rare Bracliysoma triste, now, so far as can 

 be ascertained, recorded for the first time from New Guinea, and 

 interesting as affording another proof of the close alliance between 

 the fauna of northern Australia and that of southern New Guinea: 

 and lastly of a very handsome Acanthophis which is provisionally 

 referred to the species described by Sir Wm. Macleay from New 

 Guinea. It has in any case been considered advisable to give a 

 detailed description here of this supposed species, and an attempt 

 made to point out the differences between what may be called 

 the nortliern and southern forms of this anomalous genus, which 

 differences, should they prove constant, would, even though slight, 

 suffice to constitute a valid species. The types of A. kfvis, Macleay, 

 from Katow, New Guinea, and of A. i^rcdongu^, Ramsay, from 



