FOURTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT 69 



hibit any of the poisonous serpents of far-distant Australia. 

 These have been placed in a specially constructed case. 



The venomous species consist of the purple death-adder, or 

 black snake, {Psendechis porphyriacns) ; the gray death-adder, 

 {Denisoiiia superba), and the tiger snake, {Brachyaspls curtus) . 

 Of these, the purple death-adder is represented by a male speci- 

 men about three and one-half feet long, of a lustrous purplish- 

 black color, with a row of scarlet scales on each side of the body. 

 There are six specimens of the gray death-adder, all fully grown, 

 and about five feet in length. The tiger snake is represented by 

 two mature examples, each about twenty-four inches long. The 

 latter species derives its name from the tawny bands that en- 

 circle the yellowish body. All of these serpents dilate the neck, 

 to a moderate extent, in cobra fashion. They are vicious, highly 

 active and very poisonous. The lot was purchased in June, and 

 the original number remains on exhibition, without losses by 

 death. Both species of the Australian pythons — the diamond 

 snake, {Morelia spilotes) , and the carpet snake, (M. variegata) , 

 were added to the collection. 



Among species of the larger constricting snakes of the 

 tropics that were obtained was a very beautiful specimen of the 

 regal python, {Python reticulatvs) , from Borneo; two specimens 

 of the Congo python, (P. sehx) ; a Madagascar boa, {Boa mada- 

 gascarieyisis) , and a Madagascar tree boa, {Corallus madagas- 

 carie7isis) . All these were purchased from Carl Hagenbeck, at 

 Hamburg. A thoroughly representative collection of the ser- 

 pents and lizards of Europe was obtained from the animal deal- 

 ers in Great Britain. 



To strengthen the collection of lizards, a good series of the 

 larger species was purchased. The most spectacular example 

 was a huge kabara-goya, or "monitor," {Varanus salrator) , over 

 seven feet long, and with claws as large as those of a leopard. 

 Examples of the spiny-tailed lizard, {Xonurus giganteus) , of 

 South Africa, and the giant chameleon, {Chamaeleo pardalis) , 

 of Madagascar, make attractive specimens for exhibition. 



Among the turtles and tortoises purchased during the trip 

 was a series from Europe and Africa. The purchases of croco- 

 dilians were very satisfactory, inasmuch as they added to our 

 series two very rare species. These consisted of a mature broad- 

 headed crocodile, {Osteolaenius tctraspis), from Sierra Leone, 

 and a young horned caiman, {Caiman latirostris) , from the 

 Amazon region. 



