Catalogue of Reptiles. 81 



Tomopterna strigata, Giinth. Bat. Sal. 20. PL 2, fig. A. 

 Tomnopterna Delalandii, Tsch. Giinth. Bat. Sal. 129, 

 P. fodiens, tferdon^ teste Giintlier sed ? 

 P. pluvialisj Jerdon^ Cat. Tnd. Hep. 411. 



This species has undergone many Ticissitudes at the hands of Dr. 

 Giiuther, being at one time located in India then referred to the Cape, and 

 finally recalled to its proper quarters in the East. On what grounds 

 Dr. Gimther so hastily ignored the testimony of Dr. Jerdon as to the 

 Indian origin of the species, it is hard to say ; the more so, as Dr. Jerdon 

 had furnished many specimens from the Madras Presidency, where he 

 was not only resident, but .engaged in scientific pursuits, and his 

 testimony therefore might, it would be supposed, have been allowed 

 great weight in such a question. Dr. Giiuther tells us, (it is true) " that 

 he found this species in the collection of Sir A. Smith," and adds, " it 

 was evident that the specimens presented by Mr, Jerdon to the British 

 Museum were not procured in the East Indies as indicated by that 

 gentleman !" In other words, Dr. Jerdon, as an Indian naturalist, had 

 no claims to be beUeved on a matter-of-fact coming within his personal, 

 cognisance. When, however, preparing his Catalogue of Indian Reptiles, 

 Dr. Giiuther seems to have discovered from the Brothers Schlagiu- 

 tweit that the Indian naturalist who collected the sijecimens was oddly 

 enough right as to where they came from, and that the English savant, 

 who merely received them and decided ex-cathedra, was wrong. The 

 si3ecimens are therefore re-transferred not only to the habitat, but 

 also to the genus in which the Indian naturalist has placed them ! ! 

 I may after this perhaps be allowed to be a little sceptical as to Dr. 

 Giinther's identification of P. /ocZi'eji.s and P. jjh(y/a?t's of Dr. Jerdon. 

 The Museum collection, unfortunately, is of little use. There is no 

 specimen of P. fodiens, Jerdon, which agrees as far as can be judged 

 with that gentleman's descriptions, " greenish marked with brown," 

 but it no more resembles Dr. Glinther's figure (Joe. cit.J of SphcBrotlieca 

 strujiAia, than it resembles anj^ other figure in the book. I have, how- 

 ever, from Pegu, specimens closely resembling the figure, and I doubt 

 not the true P. pluvialis of Dr. Jerdon. P. fodiens occurs too, I think, 

 in Pegu, but never associated with the other, and much more rarely. 

 It is, I believe with Dr. Jerdon, a totally distinct species, having a 

 merely generic resemblance to the other, and both species I have 

 procured alive. 



a. adult (bad state). Ceylon. Dr. Kelaart. 



P. FODIENS, Jerdon. 



Above mottled brown, with a pale median stripe from occiput to 

 vent. Below white. 



P. RUFESCEXS, Jerdon. Malabar Coast. 



P. Frithi, Theobald. 



a. adult. Jessore. — Frith, Esq. 



Form much as in P. fodiens, tumid ; skin quite smooth. Metatarsal 

 spur distinct. Uniform vinous, red and brown above ; wE*ite beneath. 

 This specimen has been long preserved in spirit, but seems au unde» 

 scribed species. 



