82 lioiu-E. 



196-207 ventrals; 30-37 caudals ; four 



upper labials pitted 8. regius, p. 88. 



160-175 veutrals ; 28-32 caudals ; two 



upper labials pitted , 9. curtus, p. 89. 



1. Python spilotes. 



W/iife, Journ. Voy. N. S. W. p. 2r,9, pi.—, fig. ] (1740). 



Coluber spilotus, Lacep. Ann. Mus. iv. 1804, pp. 1 94, 209. 



Python punctatus, Men: Tent. p. 90 (1820) ; Boie, Isis, 1827, p. r)16. 



Echidna spilotes, Mei-r. I. c. p. 150. 



Python peronii, Waffl. Icones, pi. i. (1828) ; Schlcg. Phys. Serp. ii. 



V 421, pi. XV. figs. 11 & 12 (1837). 

 Morelia punctata. Gray, Zool. Miscell. p. 43 (1842). 

 variegata, Gi-ay, I. c, and Cat. p. 86 (1849) ; Kref^, S/i. 



Austral, p. 31, pi. ii. (1869) ; McCoy, Prodr. Zool. Vict., Dec. ii. 



pi. xiii. (1878) ; Doiujlas Ogilby, liec. Austral. 3Ius. i. 1890, 



p. 96. 

 argus*, Dtc7)t. S,- Bihr. vi. p. 385 (1844) ; Jan, Icon. Gen. p. 94, 



1. 7. pi. V. (1864) ; Peters ^ Doria, Ann. Mus. Genova, xiii. 1878, 



p. 404. 

 spilotes, Gray, Cat. p. 85 ; Kreft, I. c. p. 29, pi. i. 



Eostral as broad as deep, or a little deeper than broad, visible 

 from above ; internasals as broad as long, followed by a pair of 

 somewhat larger shields which may be broken up ; the rest of the 

 upper surface of the head covered with scales or small irregular 

 shields, among which, however, an enlarged frontal shield and two 

 or three supraoculars are sometimes conspicuous ; eleven to thirteen 

 upper labials, first two or three deeply pitted, sixth and seventh or 

 seventh and eighth entering the eye ; six or seven of the lower 

 labials deeply pitted. Scales in 45 to 51 rows. Ventrals 251-304 ; 

 anal entire or divided ; subcaudals 63-92. Coloration very variable. 



Total length 2000 millira. (6i feet) ; tail 250. 



Australia and 'New Guinea. 



A. Black above, each scale with a yellowish dot, with or without 

 scattered yellow, black-edged sjjots ; upper labials black- 

 edged ; lower parts yellow, the posterior ventrals and the sub- 

 caudals spotted or edged with black. {Coluber Sjnlotus, Lacep. ; 

 Fijihon 2iunctatus,~^lcrv.; P. ]^eronii,^'d^.) 



a. 2 (Sc. 40; V. 274; New South Wales. Australian Museum. 



C. 72). 

 h. llgv. 6 (Sc. 49; V. 269 ; New South Wales. G. Krefft, Esq. [P.1. 



C. 84). 



c. Yg. (Sc. 49 ; V. 261 ; Australia. Haslar Hospital. 



C. 85). 



d,e. Ad., stffd. Australia. 



/. Ad., skel. Australia. 



g. Hgr., skel. Australia. 



* Coluber argus, Linn., is founded upon a figure of Seba's (Thes. ii. pi. ciii. 

 fig. 1) which is probably not execuied i'rom a specimen, and certainly does not 

 represent the Python here described. I regard C. argus as a mythical species. 



