CARPET SNAKE. 67 
opossum which was so little injured that its skin was stuffed, also 
that of its destroyer, and both were exhibited in the Australian 
museum. ‘The reptile was 15 feet in length. 
Where found.—The late Sir W. Macleay remarks: ‘This 
species seemis to have a wide range. It is common over the whole 
interior of New South Wales, and there seems to be no part of 
Queensland or North Australia in which itis not found. My ‘Chevert’ 
specimens are from Sue Island, Darley Island, and Hall Sound.” 
He found it in New Guinea in his expedition of 1875. It has been 
found at Swan River and Houtman’s Abrolhos, Western Australia, 
In Victoria it is by far the largest snake in that colony ; it is not 
met with in the cooler southern parts, but it is becoming common 
towards the northern Murray boundary. Its increase is due to 
the destruction of the aboriginals, by whom it is prized as an article 
of food. In South Australia it is numerous in the Murray scrub. 
In N.S. Wales it is less abundant in the coast district. It seems to 
take the plaze of the diamond snake in the tropical Queensland 
brushes, and in the arid deserts of Central Australia. Some years 
ago the Zoological Society, London, obtained a living specimen by 
purchase from a dealer, In the reptile house of the Society, Mel- 
bourne, there are several carpet snakes from New South Wales and 
the north-west of Victoria. ‘The Macleay museum at the University 
has specimens from King George’s Sound, Murrumbidgee, Port 
Darwin, Richmond River, Sue Islands in Torres Strait, Kndeavour 
River. The Melbourne museum exhibits carpet snakes from these 
localities :—Echuca, 5 feet 9 inches long ; the banks of the Murray, 
5 feet long; Swan Hill, a young one, 2 feet 4 inches long ; the banks 
of the Murray, 6 feet 6 inches long. In the districts of the Manning 
and the Richmond specimens measure nearly 12 feet. It is found 
near Port Darwin and generally throughout. Australia, except 
Southern Victoria. Mr. Gilbert met with it at Port Essington, and 
Sir G. Grey at Boston Island, South Australia. 


Brusu Turkey—Zalegallus lathami. 
Introduction.—The wattled tallegallus, known to the colonists 
as the brush turkey, is one of the extraordinary birds called mound- 
raisers. It has often been asserted that Australia abounds in 
anomalies, and in no instance is the truth of this proposition more 
fully exemplified than in the history of this singular bird. It was first 
described by Dr. Latham in his ‘‘ General History of Birds” under 
the name of the New Holland Vulture, but subsequently he con- 
ceived himself in error in classing it with the Vulturidw, and he 
placed it among the Gallinacem. 
Description.—In size it may be compared with a small turkey 
hen, The female, which is about a fourth less than the male in size, 
is similarin plumage; she also possesses the wattle, but not to so great 
an extent. The adults have the whole of the upper surface, wings 
and tail blackish brown; the feathers of the under surface are 
blackish brown at the base, becoming silvery grey at the tip. The 
