TILE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 21 
NOTES ON REPTILES. 
A. ©. DuckworrH. 
While collecting orchids in the bush at Long Bay, I disturbed 
a small snake (Denisonia signata) which I succeeded in catch- 
ing. Denisonia signata is a slender, venomous snake, 18 inches 
long, belonging to the Whip Snake family. On each side of 
the head is a yellow streak about half-an-inch long. The under- 
side of the body is bluish-grey, while the colouration of the 
back is dark olive green merging into brown; a very active 
species, capable of flattening its body similar to a Tiger snake 
‘(Notechis scutatus). 
Pygopus  lepidopusi:—(Snake Lizard). When caught, 
made a squeaking or whistling noise, resembling that made by 
a young bird. The lizards vary in colour, one being a slatey- 
grey, and the other a rusty brown, with pink, yellow and grey 
spots on the belly, and which on close examination show the 
skin to be very prettily marked. In captivity it will eat small 
insects, such as wood-lice, snails, slugs, flies. It will also drink 
milk. When handling it, if care is not taken, the tail will 
snap off. 
A recent writer says:—“Often mistaken for ‘snakes, the 
Pygopodiadae are confined to Australia. These lizards have 
lost the characteristic limbs; the hinder pair are, however, re- 
presented by two scaly flaps, which, when examined, are found 
each to contain five distinct toes enclosed in a common cover- 
ing.” They also use them like oars when moving over a’smooth 
surface. 
“Pygopodiadae are allied to the Pseudopus of Africa, be- 
ing grey and spotted with white, the head having black mark- 
ings.” 
The snake lizard is sometimes wrongly called a Slow Worm. 
The Slow Worm (Aprasia pulchella) in colour is brownish- 
yellow with small dotted black lines running down the whole 
length of the back. Its full length is only 7 inches. 
“A lizard has a long tail, often nearly half its total length, 
whereas the snake has a short tail. Again, the lizard has ear 
openings; the snake has none. The lizard’s eyes shut and 
open; the snake’s do not. 
They lay their eggs generally under logs or stones, and 
these appear to require a certain degree of moisture to hatch 
them, rather than heat. The same seems to apply to all rep- 
tiles’ eggs.” ; 
I have verified these specimens by submitting them to the 
Museum authorities. 
