10 EEVIEWS. 



information upon the Pauna of the Kicobars, is derived mainly from 

 Mr. Blyth's papers, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,* 

 and we eainiot but congratulate the Austrians on their good luck in 

 having found so many species that had escaped the notice of so 

 diligent a pioneer. 



In the class of Eeptiles 1420 individuals were obtained, referable 

 to 290 species. Of them, 25, namely, seven Saui'ians, eight Snakes, 

 and 10 Batrachians, are believed to be new to science. In this 

 class the most interesting discovery is perhaps that of a Frog 

 in New Zealand, as it has hitherto been a matter of doubtj whe- 

 ther there were Batrachians in those islands. For, although 

 Polack has stated that, " Toads and Frogs are not uncommon, 

 especially near the moimtain districts," Dr. Dieffenbach, to whom 

 we are iudebted for the above quotation, cautiously adds, " they 

 have never been seen by me."§ At any rate, whether " com- 

 mon" or not. Dr. Ferdinand Hochstetter — the worthy and well- 

 known Greologist of the Novara Expedition — was the fii'st person 

 who captured and brought to Europe specimens of the Frog of New 

 Zealand, having obtained them from the mountain-torrents of Cape 

 Colville, near Auckland. The little animal has been accordingly 

 most appropriately named after its discoverer, Leiopelma Hochstet- 

 teri.\\ It is also a remarkable fact, that the nearest known ally of 

 this new genus and species of Frog is the Telmatohius peruviamis, of 

 Western S. America. This is an additional proof, if more were wanted, 

 of a remote relationship between the Faunas of the southern extremi- 

 ties of the New World and the Old, of which other instances are well 

 known. As we have akeady mentioned is the case also with the Mam- 

 mals, no descriptions are given of the new species of Reptiles, contained 

 in the appended list. It is no doubt intended to reserve these for 

 the general account of the Zoology of the Voyage, but at the same 

 time, we cannot but think it a grievous mistake, to publish a quantity 

 of new names of species without characters attached. The offence is 

 certainly a common one, but not the less objectionable on that 

 account. But it is to be hoped, that the great work, contain- 

 ing the residts of the expedition in full, towards the expense of 

 which, we believe, the Austrian Grovernment has made a liberal 

 grant, will soon appear, and render further complaints on this score 

 unnecessary. 



* Vol. XV. p. 367, " Notes on the Fauna of the Nicobar Islands." 



J See Danvin " On the origin of species," p. 424. 



§ DicflFcnbach's New Zealand, Vol. II. p. 200. 



II See Verband. d. K. K. Zool. Bot. Gesellschaft; Wicn, 1861. 



