Batrachians from German New Guinea. 577 



Lygosoma rufescens, Shaw. 

 One specimen. 



P H I D I A. 



Chondropython viridis, Schleg. 



" Yamomong." Two specimens from Sattelberg. The 

 larger is dark bluish black (in spirit), with small, widely 

 scattered, yellow spots, which usually only occupy one scale. 

 These spots are not systematically arranged, and are found a9 

 well on the back as on the sides. The scales in three or four 

 of the outer rows are edged with yellow, and those in the 

 series next to the ventrals are completely yellow, like the 

 latter. The young specimen is entirely different in colour, 

 being yellow with red markings. These are partly regular. 

 A streak running from the temporal region through each eye 

 and joining that from the other side just above the rostral j a 

 short transverse streak between the eyes ; a \, ^ -shaped 

 band on the parietal region ; a round spot on the nose and 

 two elongate rings in front of the parietal band ; a longitu- 

 dinal median streak beginning on the nape and extending to 

 the tail ; in connexion with the latter small subtriangular 

 rings, often alternating with each other and with the tips 

 pointing downwards ; on the flanks numerous small rings 

 and round spots of a paler colour than the other markings. 

 The tip of the tail is provided with dusky spots. All 

 these markings make the specimen deserve the epithet 

 " beautiful " written by the collector on the label ; but it 

 seems peculiar that the young animals should have such a 

 striking coloration, when that of the full-grown animal might 

 be termed protective. The body of this young snake is 

 extremely compressed. At the middle it is fully 2 centim. 

 deep, but hardly 1 centim. broad. The back is compressed 

 to an edge. 



Enygrus asper, Gthr. 

 Two specimens from Stephansort. 



Tropidonotus Matrii } Gray. 



Two specimens, both with the frontal once and two thirds 

 as long as broad. The number of ventrals resp. 145 and 154, 

 and the number of caudals resp. 66 and 88. 



