VI 



advance, since the publication of that list, in our knowledge 

 of indo-australian Amphibia, is due to the intensive scientific 

 exploration of the western or dutch part of New Guinea by 

 several dutch (between 1907 and 192 1) and two british expe- 

 ditions (1910, 191 2). The greatest part of the collected 

 Amphibia were described by VAN Kampen in different papers. 

 In no less degree our knowledge about the distribution of 

 Amphibia through the Archipelago was furthered since 1907 

 by scientific exploration of various islands by individual 

 collectors and by scientific expeditions, dutch and otherwise. 

 Accordingly Prof. VAN Kampen had the advantage to pro- 

 fite of recently published results of other investigators and to 

 dispose of extensive material collected in Sumatra by L. Ph. 

 DE BusSY, Edw. Jacobson and Jhr. F. C. van HeurN; on 

 the island Simalur by Edw. JacobsoN; on the island Nias 

 by J. P. Kleiweg de Zwaan; on Celebes by W. Kaudern; 

 on Ceram by L. F. de Beaufort and L. Rutten; on Buru 

 by L. J. ToxoPEUS; on Waigeu by L. F. de Beaufort. 

 These collectors deserve our thanks for contributing materially 

 to the study of indian Amphibia. 



We are under particular obligations to Dr. K. W. Dammerman, 

 Director of the Zoological Museum at Buitenzorg, for sending 

 for study the Amphibia in the institution under his control; 

 as also to Prof. E. D. van Oort, Director and of Dr. Th. 

 W. van Lidth de Jeude, Curator of the Museum at Leiden, 

 for the facilities given for studying the Amphibia under 

 their charge. 



In bringing this volume before the public, those who are 

 interested in the vertebrate fauna of the Dutch East Indies 

 are to be congratulated, that Prof. VAN Kampen presented 

 them with an able guide to the study of the Amphibia of 

 the Archipelago. The discussion, at the end of the volume, 

 of the distribution of the species on the various islands of the 

 Archipelago and on the neighbouring continents of Asia and 

 Australia, will be of much interest to students of zoogeography. 

 It is also a pleasure to acknowledge the interest of the 

 publisher, the firma E. J. Brill, Ltd. of Leiden, while this 

 volume went through the press. 



Prof. Max Weber, 



Late Director of the Zoological Museum 

 of the University of Amsterdam. 



