312 THE NATURAL HISTORY EEYIEW. 



species as met witli in South-eastern Asia. Four of these belong to 

 the typical form Crocodilus, the fifth being the celebrated Gavial 

 peculiar to the Granges, where it is popularly supposed to feed 

 principally on the bodies of the deceased Hindoos, who drown them- 

 selves in the sacred stream. Of the true Lizards, which form the 

 bulk of the order, representatives of nine families occur in India, 

 and in the surrounding countries. The Scincoids (Scincidse), the 

 Geckos (Geckotidae), and the Agamoids (Agamida;), are the most 

 abundant of these, and are all very numerous in species. The 

 "Water-lizards (YaranidsB) are also a well-marked feature in Indian 

 Herpetology— the species being in many cases large in size and 

 numerous in individuals. The only well-ascertained species of Land- 

 lizards (Lacertidae) belong to the genera TacJtydromus and Acantho' 

 dacti/hcs^ other forms referred to this family not having come under 

 Dr. Giinther's examination. The Zonuridae are represented by a 

 single very interesting species— the Fseudopus gracilis, or Glass- 

 snake of the Khasya Hills, a close ally of the well-known Pseudopits 

 jpallasi of Eastern Europe, although differing in the total absence of 

 the rudimentary hind-limbs. The three remaining families : the 

 Acontiadidse, Sepidee, and Chamaeleonidse, are very feebly represented 

 in Indian Herpetology, being essentially African groups. Of the 

 first of these only two (Ceylonese) species have been properly 

 described ; of the last, but one Indian representative is known, the 

 Cliamcaleon vulgaris — a very widely diffused species. The claims of the 

 SepidsB* to figure in the Herpetology of India rest solely on a single 

 species of Sphenocephalus, described by Mr. Blyth from Afghanistan. 

 But as there are numerous other instances of the extension of 

 African forms along the Arabian coast, even unto the Western coast- 

 region of the Indian peninsula, there is no prima facie reason to 

 doubt Mr. Blyth's correctness on this point. The total number of 

 species of Saurians (including Crocodilians) given in Dr. Giinther's 

 Avork amounts to nearly 150. In several instances, however, he 

 has included species not occurring even within the somewhat 

 wide limits laid down by himself for the scope of his work, particu- 

 larly in the case of the very singular and interesting form of Agamoid 

 Lizards known as DracOy where a complete monograph of all the 

 known species is given. The Dracones are peculiar in the whole 

 Order of Eeptiles for the additional apparatus for locomotion formed 



• Scpidse (from nf]^, (T?;7rc)j:) — not Scp^idac, a& written by Gray and Giinther. 



