226 Zoological Society : — 



either trees or grasses, there we find an equal uniformity in the life of 

 Reptiles, which uniformity is still more manifest in temperate zones. 

 North of 62° N. L. no Snake has hitherto been found ; and thus 

 the forty species which live within the boundaries of this region 

 are very unequally distributed over an area of 14,000,000 square 

 miles. We have on an average a single species to each 350,000 

 square miles. All the species are of small size, dusky colour, and of 

 a timid disposition ; by far the greater part belong to the Colubrina, 

 — their ratio to the JBoina being that of 20 : 1, and to the Viperina 

 of 4: 1. 



The identity of the creation in the different provinces of this re- 

 gion may be represented by the following examples, which will for- 

 cibly show the reason why I unite the ^Ethiopian shores of the Medi- 

 terranean especially with this region, instead of considering Spain and 

 Portugal as a part more approximate to Africa than to Europe, as 

 Schlegel did. Eryx jaculus may be traced from the eastern half of 

 the shores of the Mediterranean, through the temperate part of Asia, 

 into the south of Siberia ; Tachymenis vivax from Egypt northwards 

 to Hungary. Further, the genus Zamenis is one of the most cha- 

 racteristic types of this region, — Z. atrovirens being spread along the 

 northern shores of the Mediterranean, Z. Cliff ordii along the southern 

 ones, Z. hippocrepis and Dahlii going entirely round this inland sea, 

 Z. ventrimaculatus reaching from Egypt through Kurdistan to the 

 south of the Himalaya, and, finally, Z. caudolineatus being a native 

 of Kurdistan. Coronella austriaca, more common in the parts north 

 of the Alps, is replaced in the south by C. girundicat in the north 

 of Africa by C. cucullata. Tropidonotus natrix, reaching into the 

 heart of northern Asia, is represented in North Africa by Trop. vipe- 

 rinus. Trop. hydrus appears to range still further towards the west 

 of Asia. Coluber quadrilineatus, common on the northern shores 

 of the Mediterranean and on its eastern islands, is again found in the 

 north of China. Coelopeltis, a true native of Northern Africa, is 

 found in the Pyrenean peninsula. Pelias berus inhabits Ireland, 

 Scotland, England, Norway, Sweden, and all the central parts of 

 Europe, and is again found on the shores of the Lake of Baikal. 



The viperine snakes of this region exhibit generic diiferences on the 

 north and south of the Mediterranean, — on the former we find Pelias 

 and Vipera, on the latter Echis and Cerastes. But the above- 

 stated facts sufficiently show that the lower part of Egypt should 

 be united with this region as well as Algiers ; and I am surprised 

 that Mr. Sclater leaves it uncertain whether he includes that part of 

 Egypt or not. A few true African forms intrude themselves into the 

 African parts of the region ; Echidna atricauda and mauritanica are 

 found in Algiers, and Noja haje, following in many varieties the 

 course of the African rivers, comes down with the Nile and reaches 

 the Delta. That Echis carinata, more frequently met with in the 

 East Indian continent, is also found in Egypt, is a curious fact stated 

 by Dumeril and Bibron (vii. p. 1448) ; and as Schlegel mentions it 

 as being found also in the deserts south of the Caspian Sea, it quite 

 corresponds to the aforesaid range of Zamenis ventrimaculatus. 



