i6 



Habitat: New Guinea (Simpsonhafen). Bismarck Archi- 

 pelago. 



Feeds on mice; nocturnal. 



2. Li as is Gray. 



(GRAY, Zool. Miscell. p. 44, 1842). 



Head distinct from neck, covered with symmetrical shields; 

 nostril in a semi-divided nasal; a pair of internasals, separating 

 the nasals; rostral and upper labials pitted or without pits; 

 some lower labials pitted; eye rather small; pupil vertical; 

 praemaxillary toothed; anterior teeth very long. Body cylin- 

 drical or a little compressed, covered with small smooth scales. 

 Tail moderate or short, not or very slightly prehensile; sub- 

 caudals in two rows or the greater part only. 



Distribution. Timor; New Guinea; N. Australia. 



Key to the Indo-Australian species. 



A. Rostral without pits i. L. fuscus p. 16. 



B. Rostral with a pit or groove on each side. 

 I. Two pair of praefrontals. 



. Rostral scarcely visible from above; two post- 

 oculars; first and second upper and five lower 

 labials pitted 2. Z. mackloti p. 17. 



b. Rostral clearly visible from above; three post- 

 oculars; first, second and third upper and three 



lower parietals pitted 3. Z. tornieri p. 1 8. 



II. A single pair of praefrontals. 



1. Upper labials 12 or 13, two or three anterior 

 pitted; 6 lower labials pitted; parietals followed 



by small shields; subcaudals 62 79 4. Z. albertisi p. 1 8. 



2. Upper labials 10 or n, two or three anterior 

 pitted; 4 lower labials pitted; parietals as long 



as frontal; subcaudals 8288 5. Z. papuanus p. 19. 



i. Liasis fuscus Peters. 



Liasis fuscus, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1873, p. 607. 

 Liasis fuscus, Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, P- 78 (s. syn.). 



Rostral more broad than deep, just visible from above, not 

 pitted; internasals more long than broad, half the length of 

 the praefrontals, which extend to the frontal or are separated 



