310 THE NATUEAL HISTORY EEVIEW. 



regards its Eeptilia, as it is in the other classes of vertebrata. Its 

 most noticeable character is the presence of well-marked types 

 belonging to the great islands of the Indian Archipelago. These 

 increase in number as we descend the Malayan Peninsula until 

 we arrive at Malacca, where more than one half the reptiles are, as 

 Dr. Giinther calls them, of " Archipelagic" species. 



Proceeding farther eastwards Laos and Cochin China are almost 

 unknown herpetologically. The late lamented naturalist, Mouhot, 

 made several collections in these countries, of which special accounts 

 have been given by Dr. Giinther in the Zoological Society's Pro- 

 ceedings,* but little else has yet been done. Indeed our present 

 knowledge of the whole Eauna of this region is exceedingly defective. 

 But Ave may expect that the Prench, who are now iirmly established 

 in Saigon, will soon have leisure to devote themselves to the Natural 

 History of these countries, which will doubtless produce many in- 

 teresting novelties. Prom China, on the other hand, which as we 

 have already said likewise comes within the scope of Dr. Giinther's 

 work, numerous collections have reached Europe, and what we have 

 to look forward to for the future is rather an accurate identification 

 of localities (" China" being the usual vague " habitat" attached to 

 specimens from" every part of that vast empire) than any great 

 addition to the number of known species. China certainly embraces 

 parts of two very distinct Paunas. In the Southern Provinces a 

 thoroughly tropical character, allied to that of India, prevails. These 

 tropical forms gradually dimiuish as we pass north, and are replaced 

 by temperate forms, until in Northern China " every trace of the 

 Indian Eeptilian Pauna has disappeared," and the greater part of the 

 forms are specifically identical with those of Central Asia and 

 Europe. 



After this preliminary sketch of the geographical limits of Dr. 

 Giinther' s investigations we now proceed to notice the systematic 

 portion of the work. 



Dr. Giinther's volume includes the Batrachians as well as the 

 Eep tiles of India, the former being ranked only as a Sub-class of the 

 Eeptilia. The Eeptilia proper are divided into Chelonia, Sauria and 

 Ophidia — the Crocodilia being ranged only as a separate family of 

 Saurians. The second Sub-class of Batrachians is divided into three 

 Orders: B. salientia, B. ffradientia, and B, apoda. "We shall 



* See r. Z. S. 1860, p. 113, and 1861. p. 187. 



