66 



Zoological Societij : — 



count of the " Right Whale," nor in that of the " Spermaceti Whale." 

 I have specially searched for it again in the works by persons who 

 have seen these Whales alive, but without success. 



It has been suggested by Mr. Holdsworth that the bonnet may 

 be a natural development, and possibly characteristic of the species ; 

 he thinks that the " pale prominence " on the nose of Balcsna ant- 

 arctica, as figured in * Fauna Japonica,' pis. 28 & 29, may be intended 

 to represent it. In the description this part is only described as 

 " une forte proeminence teinte de blanc." 



In the excellent drawing of the male Whale from the coast of 

 New Zealand, which I figured under the name of Balcena antipo- 

 darum^ in DiefFenbach's *New Zealand,' vol. ii. t. 1, there is a 

 rough roundish prominence on the front of the lower jaw, as well as 

 on the front of the upper one. 



I believe that a prominence of the kind is to be observed in all the 

 species of the genus Balana, although I have never seen them de- 

 scribed as hard and horny ; but that is no reason why this may not 

 be the case. 



Description of Three New Species of Australian Snakes. 



By Gerard Krefft. 



Simotes australis, sp. nov. 



Scales in 17 rows. Ventrals 160 to 163. Anal bifid. Sub- 

 caudals 18/18. Total length W^" ; tail li-". 



Body cylindrical, rounded ; head short, conical, not distinct from 

 neck ; tail short, ending in a blunt point. Rostral shield much pro- 



duced, flat in front, pointed behind, reaching backwards to between 

 the anterior frontals, slightly grooved at its base. Two nasals, 

 nostrils between, one anterior, two posterior oculars ; two temporals 

 (in one specimen a third smaller one behind). Eye small ; pupil 

 subelliptical, erect ; no loreal, replaced by the posterior nasal and 

 anterior ocular ; six upper labials, the third and fourth coming into 

 the orbit ; occipitals short, not much rounded behind, and but slightly 

 forked. The general colour is red, very bright on the posterior part 

 of the body and tail ; all the scales are slightly margined, some, much 

 darker than others, have a whitish (in spirits) spot in the middle, 

 and form into a series of half rings, of which there are about fifty- 

 six upon the body and tail. The head is covered by a black band 

 across the occiput, leaving the snout free, commencing from below 



