29 



R E P T I L I A , BATKACHIA, 



AND 



PISCES. 



Br 

 ALBERT GUNTHER. 



The Reptiles collected iu Torres Straits bolong to the following 

 species : — 



Chelonia viridis. Varanus gouldii (Thursday Isl.), Varanus 

 timorensis (Thursday aud Prince of Wales Isls.), Varanus prasinus 

 (New Guinea), Lialis btirtoaii (Thursday Isl.), Qymnodactylm 

 platurus (Pt. Curtis). 



Of Diemenia torquata, a Snake hitherto known from a single 

 example only, a second specimen was obtained in Queensland. 



Two species of Tree-Fkogs were obtained — the common and 

 widely spread Hyla ccerulea on Thursday Isl., and the allied Hijla 

 dolichopsis in New Guinea. 



The collection of Fishes comprised fifty species, the majority of 

 which were previously known to inhabit this district of the Indo- 

 Pacific. Those to which the greatest interest is attached are two 

 species of Branckiostoma ; three Teleosteans seem to be undescribed. 



Trachynotus coppingeri. (Plate III. tig. A.) 



1 A O I 1 



D-0|£. A. 2 | 



23' 



The height of the body is a little less than one half of the total 

 length (without caudal), the length of the head is contained thrice 

 and three fourths in it. Scales very conspicuous, arranged above 

 and below the lateral line in a regular series, which is composed of 

 about 85 scales. The suout is rather longer than the eye, and less 

 obtuse than in the typical species of the genus. The eye is 

 situated far below the upper profile of the head, and two ninths of 

 the length of the head. Cheeks covered with minute scales ; the 

 remainder of the head scaleless. Dorsal and anal lobes produced, 

 pointed, but not extending to the posterior end of the fins ; caudal 

 lobes long, two fifths of the length of the body. Uniform silvery ; 

 fins greyish. 



A single specimen, 6 inches long, was obtained at Percy Island on 

 the coast of Queensland. 



