| OCR Text |
Show 1888.] OF THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 8!) pentagonal, only a little longer than broad, and broader than the supraocular ; parietals as long as the praefrontals and frontal together ; nasal forming a short suture with the praeocular ; two postoculars, lower largest; seven upper labials, third and fourth entering the eye, first smallest, sixth largest; seven lower labials, four in contact with the chin-shields, fourth and sixth largest; one temporal in the first row, two in the second, three in the third. Scales in 15 or 17 rows ; ventrals 165 to 171 ; anal divided ; subcaudals single, 38 to 48. Upper surface of tail with a more or less complete series of transversely enlarged scales. Head and sides usually reddish, dorsal region dark brown ; some or all of the scales with a black border ; tail black ; some specimens nearly entirely black, others with traces of black transverse bands; ventrals yellow, on the hind part of the body with dark brown or black margin. Numerous specimens; the largest measures one metre, in which the tail enters for 14 centim. HOPLOCEPHALUS WOODFORDI, sp. n. This species agrees in every respect with the preceding, save that the scales are somewhat longer, and the subcaudals (with the exception of the first and third) double. Scales 17; ventrals 166; anal divided ; subcaudals 45. Head dark brown ; body brownish white, each scale with a blackish-brown border, forming a reticulate pattern ; lower parts white, subcaudals with dark brown border. Total length 67 centim., in which the tail enters for 10. A single specimen. Considering that this species, in spite of its divided subcaudals, is extremely closely allied to the preceding, as well as to H. par1 and Pseudechis porphyriaca, I have not the slightest hesitation in referring it to the genus Hoplocephalus. It is clear to me that, in these elapoid forms, the character of divided or single subcaudals cannot be employed in defining genera, not more than in the genus Bothrops. Nor can I regard the division or non-division of the anal as a generic character. A complete list of the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Solomon Group is appended to this note, with a table showing their distribution in the various islands which have been explored, their presence being indicated by a*. An asterisk prefixed to the name, signifies that a species is, according to present information, restricted to this group of islands. The table well shows the considerable difference between the fauna of the two extreme islands, viz. Faro and San Christoval, the former exhibiting, chiefly in the abundance and variety of Batrachian life, a more Papuasian, the latter a more Polynesian character. 1 Tbe statement in my description (Tr. Z. S. xii. p. 46), that the subcaudals are in pairs, is a lapsus ; they are all simple. |
