Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/458

 R.EP'rLA.] NATURAL-ItlSTORY. 4.33 are ovate., Head rather long with nine plates, frontal plate bein divided; the snout very blunt, truncated; the upper central labial scale octansilar, with a deep concavity on the labial marin; the anteflor and posterior mental scales long. The tail one-fourth the lenh of the body, covered with uniform ovate qundru,lar mles. LanJ, four feet. This species appears to have a considerable 8;nty to the Kenus named psoms by Dr. Leach,' but not de- scribed by him, and is very much like .d'  of Shaw. It belongs to the TOUp called by English Zoolo- gists, Whip Snakes. The specimen above described was taken by Mr. James Hunter, at (areening Bay, on the north coast, and presented by him to the British Museum. . LBP'FOPHIS SPILO?US. oluber spilotus, Z,�pd�, -sa. ]f*uf, iv** OO. A specimen of this snake was brought home by Captain � Kind** asveeing very well with the short description Kiven by Lacp.de, in his account of Some new species of animals From New Holland. It has not been taken notice of in the modern works on Reptiles. It may, perhaps, be distinct from it; but upon considering that upwards of two hundred species of this genus have been already described, I thought it best not to increase the number without very flood reason. This species forms a second section in the fuus Z. ejfopA, on account of the form of its scales, particularly those of the throat. CAXPFAI KIBG has informed me that turtles of two or three kinds are common on the coast of Australia, particularly within the tropic; and Alliffators were seen, in fat abun- dance, in the rivers of the northern and north-western coasts, VOL. II. S F

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