XX PREFACE. 



With regard to the nomenclature of famihes, genera, and species, 

 the author adheres strictly to the "'International Rules of Zoological 

 Nomenclature" adopted })y the International Congresses of Zoology." 

 Changes in nomenclature necessitated by these rules, therefore, 

 uuist not be laid to any desire of the author to alter names, but to 

 the necessity of conforming strictly to the laws now generally accepted 

 b}- the working zoologists of the world. As for my guiding principle 

 in selecting group names higher than families, see pages 48 to 49. 



It has not been found expedient to accompany this work by a map 

 of the region giving the various localities mentioned, since good maps 

 of Japan and adjacent territory are nowadays easily available. The 

 different names employed in the literature and on the maps for the 

 same localities and the often radically different spellmg of the samQ 

 names have made necessary a synonymical and briefly descriptive 

 list of Japanese localities which will be found at the end of the book. 



In the preparation of the present work the author has received 

 kind assistance from many friends and colleagues which he wishes 

 to acknowledge with gratitude. First of all, he must mention his 

 Japanese friends connected with the Imperial University in Tokyo, 

 Professor Mitsukuri, Professor Ijima, Professor Ishikawa, and Mr. 

 Namiye. To Dr. G. A. Boulenger, British Museum; Dr. O. Boettger, 

 Senckenberg Museum; Doctors Kraepelin and Pfeffer, Hamburg 

 Museum; Doctor Jentink, Leiden Museum; Dr. E. Loennberg, Stock- 

 holm Museum; Dr. R. Collett, Kristiania Museum; and Messrs. Wit- 

 mer Stone and Rehn, Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, he is in- 

 debted for loan of specimens, much information, and numerous 

 courtesies. 



Most of the outline drawings illustrating the text have been pre- 

 pared by Mr. R. G. Paine. 



The plates are mostly reproductions of important illustrations, 

 more or less inaccessible to those for whom this woi'k is chiefly 

 intended. Very often these illustrations represent type-specimens, 

 and in nearly every instance are based on specimens collected in the 

 region covered by this work. The expensive Fauna Japonica is 

 long since out of print, and the reproduction of the best figures from 

 this classic will be welcome to the majority of the students of Japanese 

 herpetology. 



For the original drawings of two of the plates (Plates XXXI- 

 XXXII) I am under great obligations to Prof. Isao Ijima. 



aRi>gles Internationales de la Nomenclature Zoologique adoptees par les Congres 

 Interuationaux de Zoologie. (Paris, F. R. de Rudeval, Editeur, 1905. S^-^. 64 pp.) 



