40 
MEMOIRS OF TEE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM. 
ASPIDITES COLLARI3, new species. 
From Mr. E. A. Bignell, Avondale Station, via Cunnamulla, the Queens- 
land Museum received in March, 1933, a specimen which differs so markedly 
from all described Australian Boida? that new specific rank has been given to it 
under the above name. 
Rostral slightly broader than deep, the portion visible from above about 
one-third as long as its distance from the frontal; internasals one-third 
longer than broad, shorter than the anterior praffrontals which are as long as the 
loreal region. Posterior pnefrontals broader than long, separated from each 
other by a small azygous shield. Frontal as long as broad, somewhat narrower 
posteriorly, almost pentagonal, broader than the supraoculars. Parietal region 
broken up into small shields, of whit'll two are as large as the internasals. Two 
subequal loreals. Three pr&oculars, the lowest of which is exceedingly small, 
and three or four postoculars. Thirteen upper labials, seventh entering the 
eye, third largest ; nineteen or twenty lower labials, the nine anterior being 
longer and narrower. Mental shield small; a deep mental groove. Scales on 
middle of body 64 ; near vent 40 ; the two series on each side nearest the ventrals 
are enlarged. Ventrals 303 ; anal entire ; subcaudals 52, of which the first and 
two of the last are divided. 
Colouration : Light brown above, darker in the vertebral region, with 
irregular hair-brown bands, often anastomosing on the sides, Ventrals and 
spaces between bands on sides dirty white; anterior ventrals dark-clouded. A 
wide white band extends over the occiput, and the whole of the under surface 
of the head is pure white. The supraoculars, the adjoining postocular, and two 
small parietal scales are glossy black, as is also the rostral shield, but the area 
between these is again white, though not so markedly so as the upper and lower 
labials, the under surface of the head, and the occipital region. The frontal is 
also dark-clouded on its posterior surface. 
Total length 620 million. ; tail 58. Reg. No. Q.M. J13/944. 
The question arises whether the white markings on the head do not 
represent a variation to be found in juvenile forms of Aspidites ramsayi , 
Macleay, but the writer has no knowledge of such marked divergence from adult 
colouration in any of the Australian Boidse. In the Horn Expedition report* 
there is noted an Aspidites melanocephalns , the head of which was uniform pale 
brown. Apart from this striking colouration, the structural differences 
separating our snake from A. ramsayi , as redescribed by E. R. Waite. f are but 
slight. 
* Horn Expedition, Part II. (Lucas & Frost), 1896, p. 147. 
t Proc. Lin. Soc. N.S.W., 1894, vol. 9, p. 715, pi. 50. 
