Chelonia or Turtles and 

 Tortoises 



Xn INTRODUCTION. 



The different orders^ families, genera, and number of species of each 

 genus represented in Sind are shown in the following table : — 



Order. Family. Genera. Species. 



"Testudinidse 2 2 



Emydidaa 3 4 



Trionycid^e 3 3 



^Ohelonidte 2 2 



fCrocodilidffi 2 2 



j Varanidas , 2 4 



Sauria or family of J Lacertidas 3 5 



Lizards , Sciucidfe 7 9 



I Geckotidse 7 11 



LAgamidse 6 9 



Typhlopidse 1 2 



Oligodontidas 6 10 



Homalopsidje 1 1 



Psammophidas 1 2 



Dipsadidse 1' 1 



Ophidia <[' Lycodontidse "I 2 



Pythonidae 1 1 



Erycidae 2 2 



Elapida3 2 2 



HydrophidfB 3 14 



Viperid^ 2 2 



Batrachia Salienta I^^f^"^, ? 4 



\_±>uionid» 2 o 



Of these the number of species of the FmydidcB, Lacertidce, Gech- 

 otid'ce, and Eydrophidce would on closer investigation be found at 

 least one-third moi'e than the present number. The genera, most 

 widely distributed in India of the harmless Colubrine Snakes, are 

 Typhlops, Oligodon, Cynophis, Zamenis, Tropidonotus, Cerberus, Dip- 

 sas, Lycodon, Eryx and Python. Of the last one species only, which 

 inhabits forest lands contiguous to the limit of inundation and stony 

 tracts covered with Euphorbia. From the month of May to October 

 these are exti'emely numerous in Sind with Echis and Naja. 



Of the 40 species of Lacertidce in Sind, fifteen occur in Persia ; 

 seven of these, as Mesalina pardalis, Ewpre'pes septemtceniatus, Gongy- 

 lus ocellatus, Bunopus tuberculatus, Pristurus rupestris, Trapelus 

 ruhrigidaris, and Trapelus ruder atus, are not found to the north, 

 south or east of the Province ; five extend their range to the Punjab 

 and Afghanistan also, while twelve of the fifteen are also found in Beloo- 

 chistan . 



Of species of LacertiUa peculiar to Sind there are eight — such are 

 Ptyodactylus homolepis, Hemidactylus Gleadowii, Hemidactylus Kara- 



