2 66 



A USTRALIAN AND TASMANIAN ANIMALS 



the throat ; and in districts where the frilled lizard is unknown this species 

 frequently usurps its name. Measuring about 21 inches in length, and having a 

 depressed and expanded body, this lizard is brown in colour, frequently marked 

 with darker bars on the back, and with either light or dark mottlings on the 

 under surface. 



Geckos (Geckonidce), which range over the whole tropical and sub-tropical 

 zone of the world, include several peculiar Australian generic types, which need 

 not be further referred to on this occasion. 



Turning to snakes, we find the pythons represented in Australia by the 

 beautifully but variably coloured carpet-snake (Python spilotes), a species which is 

 also common to New Guinea. In the Colubridce the green whip-like tree-snakes 

 appear in northern and eastern Australia in the form of Dendroplus punctidatxis ; 

 while the mainland is also infested with various snakes of the poisonous elapine 



X 



MOLOCH LIZAItD. 



Amphibians. 



group, such as the Australian black snake (Pseudechis porpliyriacxis), the tiger- 

 snake (Notechis scutatus), and the death-adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) ; the last- 

 named being easily recognised by the presence of a horny spine to the laterally 

 compressed tail. All these genera are solely Australasian. The viper group, on 

 the other hand, is absent from the region. 



Iii common with the southern hemisphere generally, Australia 

 has no newts or salamanders, and the frogs or toads of the families 

 Biscoglossidce and Pelobatidce are likewise wanting. On the other hand, we find 

 the family Cystignathidce common to Australia and Tasmania in the eastern and 

 to Central and South America in the western hemisphere. Of the peculiar 

 Australian genera, Cliiroleptes takes its name from the fact of the first front toe 

 being opposable to the other three ; Heleiopovus, Limnodynastes, and Pseudophryne 

 being other types. Toads of the family Bufonidce occur in the region, although 



