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Show 1877.] O N REPTILES ETC. F R O M D U K E - O F - Y O R K ISLAND. 127 The third upper incisor is but little longer than the second, and has the external fold close to its posterior border. The milk-molars are still retained; but the premolar, when exposed in the maxillary, is found to be only slightly longer than the first true molar, the former measuring *27, and the latter *22 of an inch. This interesting Kangaroo bears a striking superficial likeness to Dorcopsis luctuosa (D'Alb.)-a resemblance which, along with its generally sad-coloured coat, suggests the specific name proposed. Even externally, however, it may be at once distinguished by the direction of the hair of the nape, the nearly naked scaly tail, and the uniform brown of the upper parts, while its dentition at once shows it to be not a Dorcopsis but a true Macropus. When Mr. Garrod first clearly established the distinctions between Dendrolagus, Dorcopsis and Macropus1, only one species of the last genus was known to inhabit the Austro-Malayan Subregion, namely M. bruni (Schreb.), from the Aru and Ke Islands. Since then two species have been described from New Guinea-M. papuanus by Dr. Peters, from the eastern extremity of the island2, and Halmaturus crassipes by Mr. E. Pierson Ramsay, from Port Moresby3. From all of these, as well as from all the Australian species, M. lugens appears to be perfectly distinct. In the character of the covering of the tail it most resembles M. papuanus, from which, however, it differs in its entirely bare muffle, and in the proportions of its upper incisors, as well as in coloration. I trust that Mr. Brown may soon be able to procure fully adult examples of this Kangaroo, and also to give us information as to the exact habitat of this and the other species contained in his collection. 4. O n a Collection of Reptiles and Fishes from Duke-of-York Island, N e w Ireland, and N e w Britain. By Dr. A L B E R T GUNTHER, V.P.Z.S. [Received Feb. 20, 1877.] (Plates XX. & XXI.) A collection of Reptiles made by the Rev. G. Brown on Duke-of- York Island forms a valuable contribution to the very scanty knowledge we possess at present of the Reptiles of N e w Ireland and New Britain. Indeed, since the visit of the French naturalists Lesson and Garnot, those islands have been entirely neglected, only a few species havin°- reached European collections from the neighbouring Solomon Islands. The species forming this first collection of Mr. Brown, are not sufficient in number to base upon them a more precise conclusion than that arrived at by Mr. Wallace, who appears to 1 "On the Kangaroo called Halmaturus luctuosus by D'Albertis and its Affinities," P. Z. S. 1875, pp. 48-59, pis. viL-ix. 2 Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vii. p. 544 (18/5). 3 Proc. Linn. Soc. New S. Wales, i. p. 162 (1876). |