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Only one species is restricted to the central division and only three to the extreme north division, so that it would appear the western coast district of the State is the principal home of the lizard family in the western half of the continent. The Gecko family, numbering twenty-seven species, is most strongly representative of the northern lizards; the Agamidæ—in which family are the well-known "Mountain Devil" (Moloch horridus) and the "frilled lizard" (Chlamydosarus Kingi)—contains twenty-five species, and is most representative of the north-west division; and the Scincidæ or "Skinks" with forty species—among which is the "stump-tailed lizard"—is mainly characteristic of the south-west division. The "long-tailed iguana" or "goanna" (Varanus varius) is one of a family of seven species only, and its largest representative is to be found in the north.

Snakes.—Australia has about 100 species of snakes, of which three-quarters of the number belong to the venomous kinds. Only four or five of them are, however, really dangerous, and it has been laid down as a fact that no snake, however long it be, which does not bulk thicker than a man's little finger can by its bite endanger the life of an adult human being. The number of snake species recorded for Western Australia is sixty-five. Sea-snakes, all venomous, number twelve species, and are fairly plentiful in the tropical seas and different estuaries of the north coast. They spend all their existence in the sea-water. Six species are "blind snakes," perfectly harmless, which burrow after white ants beneath decaying timber. They are distributed through all the coast districts from south to north. Six other species belong to the Pythonidæ or "Boa" family, and are also non-venornous. They obtain their largest size in the tropical coast divisions, often being 11 ft. in length and 14 in. in girth. Their haunts are the fringing reeds of large water-pools and permanent springs. The Elapidæ family, which numbers thirty-three species, contains the most venomous snakes in Australia, the red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis), the brown snake (Diemenia), and the death adder (Acanthophis) being the three most rightly dreaded. The little "white- and black-ringed snake" of this family (Vermicella annulta) is the other extreme of this poisonous group, and its bite is no more harmful than the sting of a bee. This venomous group contains fifteen species, commonly ranging over the whole State; ten others are restricted to the south-west division, and eight are confined to the north and north-west divisions.

Turtles and Tortoises.—The "green turtle" (Chelonia Midas) of the nor'-west coast has attracted commercial attention latterly, and samples of its Calipee and Calipash have been officially reported by London dealers to be worth 1s. 6d. per ℔. Queensland samples sell at from 6d. to 1s. 9d., but the best West Indian fetches as much as 4s. The Western Australian "long-neck tortoise" (Chelodina oblonga) is specifically distinct from the two other forms found in the swamps and rivers of Eastern Australia. There are no tortoises in Tasmania.

Frogs.-—There are five species of frogs in the State, two of the species being tree-frogs (Hyla aures on the mainland and Hyla rubella on the Abrolhos Islands). The tree-frogs will invade houses and wage destructive war on cockroaches. The frogs of the Swan River (Myobatrachius paradoxus) is not a croaker like ordinary frogs, but emits a high-pitched groan which sounds like a human being in distress, and has a weird effect on listeners. It is even said that the perfunctory exploration of the Swan River made by the French expedition early in the last century was due to the boat-men becoming terrified by the ear-piercing groans of these frogs. At any rate, the French ascended the river no farther than the site of Perth, though there is navigable water for a full score of miles beyond it.

Fishes have a still more ancient lineage than any land animal and have been widely distributed from very early ages. Hence it is not remarkable that in the fish fauna of Australia there should be very little which is distinctively Australian in character. Along the south coast and extending to Tasmania and New Zealand the fish life is principally that characteristic of the temperate portion of the whole South Pacific