280 HISTORY OF THE EUROPEAN FAUNA. 



A variety of the Tree Frog (Hyla arborea Savignyi} 

 is found in Europe only in Corsica, Sardinia, and the 

 Greek Archipelago. 



Eight species of Reptiles and Amphibia some of 

 which I have just referred to are enumerated by Dr. 

 Forsyth Major as occurring eastward and westward 

 of the Italian peninsula (and almost all also in North 

 Africa) without being known on the mainland of Italy. 

 And in order to show that Sardinia and Corsica are 

 more closely related to North Africa than to Italy, 

 he indicates the general range of the Reptiles and 

 Amphibians found in these islands. Of the twenty- 

 one species, only twelve inhabit Italy, but at least 

 sixteen North Africa and seventeen Spain. Indeed, 

 he shows that Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and North- 

 west Africa form a zoogeographical province, from 

 which Italy, with the exception of a few localities 

 on its west coast, is excluded. It is a remarkable 

 fact that there are a few localities on the west 

 coast of Italy which in their fauna and flora 

 exhibit closer relationship with Corsica and Sar- 

 dinia than with the mainland. Thus Dr. Major 

 pointed out that the Catena Mettalifera, the Monte 

 Argentario, and Monte Circeo all belong to what 

 we may call the former Tyrrhenian continent. 

 They are to be regarded as its eastern limits, which 

 remained standing, while the central portion now 

 occupied by the Tyrrhenian Sea subsided, and is 

 at present covered by deep sea. Subsequently these 

 remnants- of the old continent became joined with 



