IIEPTILES AND BATHAClllANS. 300 



2 



Crocodilus porosus 

 Gecko vittatus 

 Varanus indicus 

 Keneuxia smai'agdina 

 Enygrus carinatus 

 Dipsas irregularis. 



Gonyocephalus godefFroyi 

 Mabuia carteretii 



nigra 

 Enygrus bibronii. 



4 



Lepidodactylus guppyi, ri sp. 

 Lipinia anolis, n sp. 

 Corueia zebrata 

 Dendroy)his solomonis 

 Hoplocephalus par, n sj?. 



All of tbese 19 Reptiles were included in my collection, with the 

 exception of Corucia zebrata, wliich, however, came under my 

 observation. I will no^ proceed to refer more particularly to the 

 Reptile-fauna cf this region. 



Crocodiles. — The species of Crocodile (Crocodilus porosus, 

 Schneid,) which is so common in the Solomon Group, ranges from 

 India and South China through the Malay Archipelago and Papuan 

 Islands to North Australia. In these islands crocodiles appear to 

 frequent in greatest numbers the swamps and sandy shores of un- 

 inhabited coral islands, such as those of the Three Sisters, and the 

 coasts of the larger islands in the vicinity of the mouths of the 

 streams and rivers. I frequently surprised them basking on the 

 sand under the shade of a tree. On one occasion I was standing on 

 the spreading roots of a tree that were exposed on the beach, when 

 one of these reptiles darted out from under my feet and dived into 

 the sea. Of the marks that they make on the sand when lying at 

 rest, an oblong shallow impression corresponding to the head, and a 

 curved well-defined grove caused by the tail are alone specially re- 

 cognisable. When they are not alarmed and move leisurely along. 



