20 



compressed, covered with small, smooth scales. Tail moderate 

 or short, prehensile; subcaudals in two rows or the greater 

 part only. 



Distribution. Tropical and South Africa; S. E. Asia; New 

 Guinea; Australia. 



Fig. 8. Python curtus Schlegel. X ~k- 

 Key to the Indo- Australian species. 



A. Subcaudals more than 50. 



I. More than 60 scales across the body. 



a. Four upper labials pitted; 78 1 02 subcaudals. I. P. reticulatus p. 20. 



b. Two upper labials pitted; 60 72 subcaudals. 2. /'. molitriis p. 22. 

 II. Scales in 60 rows or less across the body. 



a. Crown with large shields: four upper labials 

 pitted. 



1. Four or five postoculars; six or seven 



lower labials pitted 3. P. amethystmus p. 24. 



2. Three postoculars; five lower labials pitted. 4. P. timorensis p. 25. 



b. Crown with scales or small irregular shields; 



23 upper labials pitted 5. P. spilotes p. 26.. 



B. Subcaudals 28 32; two upper labials pitted . . . 6. P. curtus p. 28. 



i. Python reticulatus (Schn.). 



Boa reticulata, Schneider, Hist. Amph. II 1801, p. 264. 

 Python reticulatus^ Boulenger, Cat. Sn. I 1893, p. 85 (s. syn.> 



