280 Dr Theodore Cantor on the 



Gymnodactylus pulchdlus, Ly<jo»oma ckalcides, Pilldion lincatum, 

 Typhlops nigroalbus, Calamaria lumbricoidea. Var. Leptophis cauda- 

 lineatus, Flaps intestinalis, Elaps nlgromaculatus. 



Malayan Peninsula. Geographically, not politically, from 12" N. L. 

 ■between 98'' and 104° E., computed to be about 80,000 square miles, or 

 about 4000 square miles less than Great Britain, zoological informa- 

 tion has liitherto been confined almost exclusively to the plains of the 

 western part. The j)roductions of the chain of mountains dividing the 

 Peninsula, and terminating in Cape Romania in 1"^ 17' Is''. L. (Point 

 Burus in 1^ 15' jN'. L.) are almost entirely unknown. The late Mr 

 Griffith on a visit in the early part of 1842 to mount Ojihir {Gihiong 

 Lklany, in about 2° 30' X. L. on the eastern boundary of the district of 

 Malacca granite, and computed about 4000 ft.) made the interesting dis- 

 covery, that from 1500 ft. and upwards, the vegetation changes com- 

 pletely, and in many respects assumes a Polynesian or Australian cha- 

 racter. Early in 1847 Lieutenant-Colonel James Low visited Keddah 

 Peak (Gt'mongJerai), opposite to thetown of Keddah, in about 6° 5' N. L., 

 which he observes is not granite, but stratified, abounding in minerals. 

 According to observation of the boiling point of water, the summit, a small 

 platform on tlie edge of the strata, is 5705 J feet above the sea. Towards 

 the summit the vegetation becomes very stunted, and partakes of Austra- 

 lian character.* Colonel Low further observes, that during the ascent, 

 he did not see a single animal, but found foot-prints of a Rhinoceros, 

 smaller than usual, he supposes, up to the very summit. To a casual 

 visiter of the ^lalayan hill forest, cluring the day, the paucity of animals 

 is a striking feature. The noonday light, subdued by the dense foliage 

 of the towering stems, gives to the scene a sombre character, heightened 

 by the unseen denizens. Their presence is manifested in the shrill vi- 

 brations of Cicadffi, one of which on the Pinang hills is noted for its re- 

 semblance to the cavalry trumpet, the call of the Tupai, the dismal tap of 

 the gigantic wood-pecker, the creaking flight of a Buceros, or the retreat 

 of frightened Semnopithecs. 



CHELONIA. 



bPKClISS. HILLS. PLAINS. 



Geoemyda sj^inosa, Gray. Pinang. 



Emys crafslcollis, Bell, Ponds and ri\nilets Ma- 



MS. layan Peninsula, Pin- 



ang. 



Emys platynota, (jray. Malayan Peninsula, Pin- 



ang. 



Emys trlvitlata, Dura. & Ponds and rivers Malay- 



Bibr. an Peninsula, Pinang, 



Benaral. 



*■ A collection of plants from the summit of the mountain, with which Colonel 

 Low favoured mo, were esaraineil by Captain Alunro, Il.M. 39th Kegiiueut, the 

 only botanit^t at present in Calcutta, previously to their being despatched to the 

 IJoyal Gardens, Kew. 



