Dr. A. Giinther on the Geographical Distribution of Reptiles. 231 



2. The following species are common to Ceylon and the other 

 parts of the region, the Ceylonese specimens exhibiting no remark- 

 able variation : — Simotes Russelliiy Coryphod. Blumenbachii, Ablabes 

 collariSy Chrysopelea ornatay Dendrophis picta, Tropidonotus sto- 

 latus, Lycodon aulicus, Naja tripudians. 



3. Ceylonese specimens of the following species always exhibit 

 one and the same variation : — Simotes purpurascens, Tropidonotus 

 quincunciatus (two Ceylonese varieties), Tropidonotus chrysargos, 

 Passerita mycterizans^ Bungarus fasciatus. 



4. The following species are peculiar to Ceylon ; but representatives 

 of the genera are found in other parts of this region : — Cylindrophis 

 inaculata, Oligodon sublineatuSf Cynophis helena (appears to be the 

 representative of Elaphis subradiatus), Cyclophis calamaria, Dipsa- 

 domorphus ceylonensis (is the representative of D. trigonatus)^ Tri' 

 mesurus ceylonensis and nigro-marginatus, Megcera trigonocephala, 

 Trigonocephalus hypnalis, Baboia elegans. 



5. Finally, the following genera, exhibiting entire subcaudal plates, 

 are peculiar to Ceylon : — Aspidura, Haplocercus, Cercaspis. 



If we look at the forms of this region, common to other ones, 

 we see that most of them belong to Schlegel's two genera. Coluber 

 and Bipsas. The separation of the former into smaller natural 

 genera has not yet been effected in such a way as to satisfy the 

 systematist ; and therefore it is the less suited for a consideration 

 of its geographical distribution {Zamenis excepted). Nearly the 

 same is the case with the genus Bipsas ; ^and even if we separate 

 single forms more aberrant from the general type, there remain a 

 great many species which, comprised in one genus, do not give us 

 the idea of a cosmopolitan genus, but of a " tropicopolitan." Spe- 

 cies of Rhabdosoma are found in the Neotropical, a single species of 

 Cerberus and Bendrophis in the eastern Palseotropical region; the 

 geographical distribution of Bryophis and Echis has been stated 

 above. 



I may add a few words to prove what I have before mentioned, viz. 

 that the Snakes of Japan belong to the fauna of the Indian region. 

 The following species from these islands are known * : — 



1. Tropidonotus tigrinus^ and 



2. T. Vibakari belong to a cosmopolitan genus ; but the former, 

 being also found near Ningpo in China, belongs to a group of this 

 genus, which is formed solely by species native in India ; and the se- 

 cond species is the single type of another peculiar group (see Catal. 

 of Colubr. p. GO). 



3. Coluber conspicillatus, 



4. Elaphis quadrivirgatus, and 



5. Elaphis virgatus, exhibit not only a remarkable similarity in 

 general habits, and in the system of coloration, with other true East 

 Indian Snakes {Elaphis subradiatuSy &c.), but the two latter are also 

 found on the Indian continent, in China, south of the Yellow River. 



6. Trigonocephalus Blomhoffii belongs to a genus with four species! 

 in the East Indies and one in the northern parts of Asia. 



* Cf. Schlegel, * Fauna Japonica ' — '* Reptiles." 



