“‘INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!’ which literally means—­’Ah!  I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!’ From want of paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which circumstance gave rise to the poor savage’s mistake, and it was not until I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was in error—­a compliment I could hardly help smiling at.  I have only to add in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at arrangement, having drawn and numbered the fish as they were caught.  Most have been taken by my own hook; some by the native’s spear, and some by the seine net.

“The natural scale of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended on.

“A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to that on the drawing, is also added.

“The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of the subject.

“I remain, Sir,
“Your most obedient servant,
“J.  Neill. 
“Albany, King George’s Sound,
“Western Australia.”

On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he was able, the modern scientific names.  I have done the same to the Reptiles myself.  I have retained the original numbers as they refer to the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the British Museum.—­J.  E. Gray.

* * * * *

Reptiles.

Fam.  Lialisidae.  LIALIS BURTONII.  Native name Kerry-Gura.  Considered by the natives as harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and rounded.

LIALIS BICATENATA.  Native name William Lunger.  Tongue not forked, broad, and rounded off at the point.  Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent.

Killed 10th of October, 1841.

     Fam.  COLUBRIDAE.

NAJA,—?  Native name Torn-ock or TOOKYTE.  Colour dirty olive over the whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of the noon; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather blunt; scuta, 223.