3-10 BATRACHIANS AND LAND REPTILES 



and Sphwrodactijlus notatus are in Florida confined to the extreme southern 

 portion of the peninsula. The third species, Anolis porcatus, which is identi- 

 cal in the Bahamas and in Cuba, is represented in Florida by .4. carol inensis 

 Dumeril and Bibron, the so-oalled Florida " chameleon." These forms differ 

 more than they are usually given credit for, though of course there can be no 

 doubt that the A. carolinensis is a direct descendant of A. porcatus. The 

 former is not restricted to the peninsula of Florida, but extends on the North 

 American mainland along the Atlantic coast into Xorth Carolina, and along 

 the Gulf coast to the Mexican boundary. 



From these facts it seems perfectly safe to draw the conclusions: (1) that 

 all these species came to the Bahamas from Cuba; (3) that they also reached 

 Florida from Cuba: (3) that the arrival of the Anolis to the North American 

 mainland took place sufficiently long ago to allow it to become specifically 

 differentiated and to spread all over the southern coast region, while the 

 tree-toad and the gecko only very recently found their way into Florida. 



It follows that there is no indication of any direct relation between the 

 herpetological faunas of the Bahamas and Florida. 



Eelations to Cuba. 



The table showing the distribution of the Bahama species indicates that 

 at least seven (plus one doubtful) are identical with Cuban species. Three of 

 these have already been dealt with. Of the remaining, one is of wide distribu- 

 tion in the Antilles and northern South America, viz., the blind snake, 

 Typlilops hiinhricalis (Linne), while another, Hyla septentrional is Boulen- 

 ger, is also common both in Haiti and Jamaica. 



Eight other species (with two local subspecies) are closely related to 

 Cuban species, of which only two are also represented equally close by Haitian 

 forms. Altogether eighteen forms point directly to Cuba as their original 

 home. 



An inspection of the table alluded to will reveal the striking circumstance 

 that all the species related to Cuba are found only on the islands situated upon 

 the great Bahama bank defined by the 500-fathom line or at least northwest of 

 a line through the Mariguana Passage, and that conversely, though with one 

 notable exception, all the forms occupying islands situated on the great bank 

 are more nearly related to Cuban forms than to any other (except of course 

 when the Cuban form also occurs in Haiti). 



