95 
sometimes the throat in the latter with round or longitudinally 
elongate black spots. 
The number of specimens at my disposal is not sufficient to 
warrant an anatomical dissection of two examples, with the view 
of verifying the sex, but, judging from analogy, I consider that 
the black-throated specimens are the adult males. Except where 
special mention is made there is absolutely no difference between 
the two forms. 
The specimens examined measured from three and one-third to 
eight inches. 
Inches. 
Millin. 
Total length 
... 7-40 ... 
185 
Length of head ... 
... 0-65 ... 
16 
W idth of head ... 
... 0'48 ... 
12 
Length of body ... 
... 2-10 ... 
52*5 
Length of fore limb 
... 0-97 ... 
24 
Length of hind limb ... 
... 1-45 ... 
36 
Length of tail ... 
... 4-67 ... 
116-5 
The above are the dimensions of an adult male (?). 
Lygosoma ( Emoa ) baudini. 
Mabouya baud ini i, Gray , Catal. p. 95. 
Several specimens of this Slunk are in the collection. 
OPH1D1A. 
The Ophidian Reptiles included in the collection are unfortu- 
nately but few in number, four specimens only, belonging to three 
genera, having been forwarded ; they are, however, of no little 
interest. Of the Carpet Snake (Morelia variegata) there are 
two examples, an adult and a young one, the latter being 
described below, as I do not know of any description of the species 
in this stage : it appears to be the common Python of south-eastern 
New Guinea as there are several specimens in the Macleay 
Museum from Katow. The second species represented consists of 
a tine example of the rare Hr achy soma triste , now, so far as can 
be ascertained, recorded for the first time from New Guinea, and 
interesting as affording another proof of the close alliance between 
the fauna of northern Australia and that of southern New Guinea; 
and lastly of a very handsome Acanthophis which is provisionally 
referred to the species described by Sir Wm. Macleay from New 
Guinea. It has in any case been considered advisable to give a 
detailed description here of this supposed species, and an attempt 
made to point out the differences between what may be called 
the northern and southern forms of this anomalous genus, which 
differences, should they prove constant, would, even though slight, 
suffice to constitute a valid species. The types of A. Icevis , Macleay, 
from Katow, New Guinea, and of A. prcdongus , Ramsay, from 
