SNAKE FAUNA OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



0^5 



distribution of Leptodira it would appear quite probable that the 

 new world Opisthoglypha originally came from the Ethiopian 

 region, the broad facts of the case being that this sub-family 

 occurs throughout Africa, Madagascar and the Indian region, 

 but in the new world, although their centre is in South and Central 

 America, none of them occur in the Antilles, which islands were 

 in extensive land connection with Central America during Miocene 

 times (Gadow in P. Z. S., 1905, 236); the fauna of the greater 

 Antilles in fact includes only Typhlopidae, Boidae and Aglyphous 

 Colubrines. Parallel facts of distribution obtain for the Protero- 

 glypha, and on the other hand in both these higher groups of 

 Colubridae we have seen that there is an element in common with 

 the Indian region ; the absence of Proteroglypha from Madagascar 

 implies, in terms of our theory, that the connection between East 

 Africa and the Indian region was in existence after the isolation 

 of Madgascar. 



WITHANIA SOMNIFERA. Messrs. Power and Salway 

 recently communicated to the Chemical Society (London) results 

 of an investigation into the chemical constituents of Withania 

 Somnifera Dunal, obtained by them from South Africa. An alka- 

 loid was found to be present both in the roots as well as in the 

 upper portions of the plant, and several other new compounds 

 were also met with. An amorphous alkaloidal principle was 

 obtained from the root : this, on treating with alkali hydroxides 

 yielded a crystalline base of comoositionCia Hj,; O.j. The roots 

 further yielded a monohydric alcohol, withaniol, and another 

 monohydric alcohol, somnirol, was procured from the leaves and 

 stems, as well as a dihydric alcohol, somnitol, and an acid, with- 

 anic acid. Physiological tests, conducted on a dog, failed to con- 

 firm the plant's reputed sedative or h^-pnotic properties. 



CAPE GEOLOGY, — At a meeting of the Geological Society (Lon- 

 don) held on the 22nd February, Mr. R. H. Rastall described the 

 physiography and geology of the Worcester, Robertson, and 

 Ashton districts of the Cape Province. A detailed account, as to 

 structure and character of the rocks of the Malmesbury series 

 in the vicinity was given. Mention was made of the phyllite gneiss, 

 formed by the crushing and foliation of the intrusive granite in the 

 upper members of the series, bringing about the metamorphosis of 

 limestone bands into the well-known white marble of Worcester. 

 The occurrences of the Enon Conglomerate were described, and 

 the opinion was expressed that the great Worcester-Swellendam 

 Fault, with its throw of about 10,000 feet, is in great part of Post- 

 Cretaceous age. The fault is assumed to be a line of fracture and 

 subsidence transversely across the lines of folding of two great 

 sets of folds, at right angles to each other, which impart to the 

 adjacent areas their fan-shaped plan. 



