BY GEEAED KREFFT. 41 



inland ; at Port Macquarie both species occur, but at the Clarence 

 River, according to Mr. James F. Wilcox, the Carpet Snake 

 alone is found. Dr. J. E. Gray has indeed tried to distinguish 

 the one from the other by the vertical plate, which he considers 

 distinct in Morelia variegata, and indistinct in M. spilotes. But 

 after examination of large numbers of both species, I do not 

 think that the above is a character much to be relied upon, and 

 I am led to believe that both Snakes are but varieties of the 

 same species. 



There is, according to Dumeril and Bibron, the famous French 

 Herpetologists, a second species of Snake of the Boa family to be 

 found near Sydney, namely, 



The Bolyeria, D. 8f B. 



BOLYERIA MULTICARINATA. D. 8f B. 



This, however, is not the case. I have hunted the country near 

 Sydney for years, and have never come across a single snake of 

 this description ; high rewards have been offered for it, with no 

 better success, and no specimen ever existed in the Australian 

 Museum. I have, however, lately purchased a snake which 

 answers to the description given, and which was obtained at 

 some of the islands near New Guinea. 



SECOND SUBORDER. 



OPHIDTI COLUBRIFORMES VENENOSL 

 VENOMOUS COLUBRINE SNAKES. 



Snakes with an erect immoveable grooved or perforated 

 fang in front of the maxillary. 



Gape of mouth forming a straight line. 



This suborder, if we include the genus Acanthophis with the 

 first family, comprises the 



1. Elapidce or Elapides ; and the 



2. HydropMdce, or Sea-Snakes. 



