chap, xi.] THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 279 



the right hand corner is the Lcptosoma discolor, a bird which 

 appears to be intermediate between such very distinct families 

 as the cuckoos and the rollers, and is therefore considered to 

 form a family by itself. It is a coppery-green above and nearly 

 white beneath, with a black bill and red feet. The fan-shaped 

 plant on the left is the traveller's tree (Urania speciosa), one of 

 the peculiar forms of vegetation in this marvellous island. 



Reptiles. — These present some very curious features, compara- 

 tively few of the African groups being represented, while there 

 are a considerable number of Eastern and even of American 

 forms. Beginning with the snakes, we find, in the enormous 

 family of Colubridse, none of the African types ; but instead of 

 them three genera — Herpetodryas, PMlodryas, and Heterodon — 

 only found elsewhere in South and North America. The 

 Psammophidse, which are both African and Indian, are repre- 

 sented by a peculiar genus, Mimophis. The Dendrophidse are 

 represented by Ahcetvlla, a genus which is both African and 

 American. The Dryiophidse, which inhabit all the tropics but 

 are most developed in the Oriental region, are represented by 

 a peculiar genus, Langaha. The tropical Pythonidse are repre- 

 sented by another peculiar genus, Sanzinia. The Lycodontidae 

 and Viperidse, so well developed in Africa, are entirely absent. 



The lizards are no less remarkable. The Zonuridse, abun- 

 dantly developed in Africa, are represented by one peculiar 

 genus, Cicigna. The wide-spread Scincidae by another peculiar 

 genus, Pygomeles. The African Sepsidse, are represented by three 

 genera, two of which are African, and one, Amphiglossus, peculiar. 

 The Acontiadse are represented by a species of the African genus 

 Acontias. Of Scincidae there is the wide-spread Euprepes. The 

 Sepidse are represented by the African genera Seps and Scelotes. 

 The Geckotidse are not represented by any purely African 

 genera, but by Phyllodactylus, which is American and Aus- 

 tralian ; Hemidactyhis, which is spread over all the tropics ; by 

 two peculiar genera ; and by Uroplatis, GecJcolepis, and Phelsuma, 

 confined to Madagascar, Bourbon, and the Andaman Islands. 

 The Agamidae, which are mostly Oriental and are represented in 



