318 



Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



Geographical Distribution of the Formosan Fresh-Water Fishes.- 



Continued. 



petological fauna. He states that "A number of wide-ranging species 

 of southern origin occur in both faunas, but as these also occur in 

 southern China, on the mainland opposite Formosa, their way of 

 dispersal is clearly indicated. There are only two species of this 

 category which have not yet been collected in Chinese territories, 

 namely, Dasia snmragdina, of wide distribution, and which may owe 

 its occurence in Formosa to introduction by human agency, the other 

 being a snake, Psammodynastes pulvernlentiis, the discovery of which 

 within the limits of China would not cause surprise, as its known dis- 

 tribution includes Sikkim, Assam., and the Shan states." (Proc. 

 U. S. Nat. Mus., XXXVIII, 191 1, pp. 93-94.) Finally he has ex- 

 pressed his belief that there has been no direct land connection be- 

 tween Formosa and the Philippine Islands since Formosa received its 

 batrachians and reptiles, because of the total absence of the Formosan 

 herpetological fauna in the latter. The case of the fresh-water fishes is 

 quite the same. Therefore it is reasonable to support his view with 

 reference to the relationship between Formosa and the Philippine 

 Islands. 



On the contrary, the occurence of all Japanese species in the main- 

 land opposite to Japan is another interesting fact. There seems to be 

 good reason for asserting the prehistoric land connection between 

 Japan proper and the Asiatic continent, though the relationship 

 between Japan and Formosa is somewhat dubious on account of the 

 total absence of fresh-water fishes in the Riu Kiu Islands which cover 

 the interspace between the two. 



