432 DISTRIBUTION IN SPACE AND TIME 



The South American forms known as Tinamous, sufficiently 

 like game-birds to have earned the local name of " partridges ", 

 are in reality very primitive forms, which constitute a distinct 

 order (Crypturi). One of the South American Birds of Prey 

 (Accipitres), the huge Condor (Sarcorhampus gryphus] of the 

 Andes, a kind of Vulture, is the largest existing flying bird, its 

 spread of wing being as much as 9 feet. 



The only Running Birds (Ratitce] native to the New World 

 are the Rheas (Rhed) or South American Ostriches, which are 

 smaller and less specialized than their African cousins. 



Neotropical Reptiles (Reptilid]. -The warmer parts of the 

 region are inhabited by Crocodiles (Crocodilus], and forms 

 known as Caimans (Caiman], which are pretty closely related to 

 the Alligators. Among the many Lizards (Lacertilid) members 

 of the Iguana Family (Iguanida) are conspicuous, though the 

 group is shared with North America, and there are outlying forms 

 in Madagascar and the Fiji Islands. The type-genus (Iguana) 

 is only represented in tropical America and the West Indies, 

 while the curious Basilisks (Basiliscus) are limited to the former 

 area. The Sea- Lizard (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) of the Gala- 

 pagos Islands is remarkable from its habit of browsing on sea- 

 weeds which grow on the sea-floor in shallow water. 



Snakes (Opkidia) are well represented in the Neotropical 

 region. They include most of the species of Boa, and the 

 gigantic Anaconda (Euneces murinus], which is the largest known 

 serpent. The harmless Coral -Snake (Ilysia scytale), coral -red 

 with black rings, is native to tropical South America. Of this 

 species Gadow remarks (in The Cambridge Natural History) 

 that, " On account of its beauty, perfectly harmless nature, 

 and for ' cooling purposes ? , this snake which grows to nearly 

 a yard in length, is sometimes worn as a necklace by native 

 ladies". The name Coral Snake is also applied to a virulently 

 poisonous species (Elaps corallinus) native to the same area and 

 also to the Lesser Antilles. It is related to the Cobras and 

 Kraits of India, and the Death- Adders of Australia. 



Amphibians (Amphibia]. Though tailed forms (Urodeld) just 

 get into the northern part of the region, the vast majority of its 

 Amphibians are Frogs and Toads (Anurd). The tongueless 

 and toothless Surinam Toad (Pipa Americana), native to the 

 north of South America, is one of the most interesting species, 



