246 REPORT—1843. 
Beiteium. Great Britain. IRELAND. 
Order Ophidia. 
Comber ii. (2 5, FROM Sad oo veddegdeseonen HO 
IN BATIK i000. -1 4, 1 ,,  (sameas Belg.)... 0 
Vipera......+ iiss tosh eect ales 3 aks 
Order Batrachia. 
IRENA, Saccctenas pF Oh ae oe ..» 1 species (same as Brit.). 
Bombala cs eee GeO Me Ae cssciesceaSTuconss lO 
12h CR ae i pea Sra auinn” SRG AaRGE Ra ARP ROSE ce) 
BULO ss ecccous 7 wren cp sir sat (SEER aX she tpl 313) 1249 JAR Malle 5 
MHIAMIANUTA se Lon ae eee Oe a eeat erent canara 
Triton st. we 4 4, «- 3*®* 4, (sameas Belg.)... 2 ,, 53 
22 11 5 
It appears therefore that the deficiency of Ireland compared with Great 
Britain in the Reptilia, is much upon the same scale as that of the latter island 
compared with Belgium. 
There is not any island of similar extent to Ireland, and in like manner 
situated with respect to other lands, with which to compare it. The islands of 
New Zealand within temperate latitudes in the southern hemisphere may how- 
ever be mentioned as possessing of indigenous Mammalia}, Bats alone, of which 
one species has been described} ; and no Ophidian reptiles. “Throughout the 
present Report (to quote from the former portion) it must be borne in mind, that 
all species found from the Channel Islands in the south, to the Shetland Islands 
in the north, are included in the fauna of Great Britain, and that within the 
degrees of latitude over which it extends, Ireland occupies but one-third. Ire- 
land is comprised within four degrees, while the Shetland Islands range nearly 
six degrees further to the north, and more than two degrees to the south the 
Channel Islands are situated. The Fauna of Great Britain also extends over 
ten degrees of longitude, while that of Ireland is limited to half the number.” 
The physical geography and climate need not be dwelt on here, as in the 
case of the Mammalia Terrestria, Aves, and Reptilia, as the Jand Mollusca 
and Annelides only will be directly affected by such influences. The fresh- 
water Mollusca, Crustacea, Annelida and Amorphozoa will be affected, but 
less directly, by the physical geography, taken in connection with the mine- 
ralogical structure of the country ; as will the marine species in some degree, 
by the nature and quantity of the residuum brought by rivers to the sea. 
The physical geography of the bottom of the sea will have a powerful effect 
on the marine Invertebrata of all kinds, even greater than that of the dry land 
on its animals. According to the configuration and depth, to the mineralo- 
gical character of the rocks, the vegetation, &c., shall we find particular fami- 
lies, genera, and species. Even where the configuration and depth are similar, 
the oozy, sandy, gravelly, or rocky bottom, will have each its peculiar animals. 
It has not been thought desirable, as in the Report on the Vertebrata, to 
treat distinctly of every species, as to its being common or rare, &c.; but in- 
* Rana Scotica and Triton Bibronii, of which so little is known, either as to distri- 
bution or otherwise, are not enumerated. 
+ In Mammalia, Belgium has two genera—Crocidura and Cricetus—not found in 
Great Britain, in which are four—J?hinolophus, Talpa, Myoxus, Arvicola—unknown 
to Ireland. De Selys-Longchamps believes Belgium to be the most northern limit of 
the genus Crocidura, and states that it is not met with in Holland or Denmark. 
t The species is Vespertilio tuberculatus, Forster. J. E. Gray in Deiffenbach’s 
New Zealand, vol. ii. p. 181. According to the Report of the United States’ Exploring 
Expedition, publislfed in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal for January 1844 ;— 
“none of the Pacific Islands, including New Zealand, contain any native Mammalia 
except Bats,” p. 32. 
