On a new Apodous Amphibian from India. 267 



marginal spot which is bordered by reddisli coppery. Elytra 

 golden green, -with a broad yellow vitta on each, with a 

 narrow dark eyaneons line between the yellow and the 

 suture. Abdomen coppery, clothed with ashy pubescence at 

 the sides. $ . 



Long. 2G mm. 



Hub. Nyassa [T/ielwall). 



Closely resembles C. lepida, Gory, but diflfers in being of a 

 lighter golden green. The thorax is more finely punctured 

 at the sides. 



[To be continued.] 



XXXVIIT. — Description of and Reflections upon a nevi Species 

 of Apodous Amphibian from India. By A. AlcoCK, M.B., 

 LIj.D., F.R.S., Superintendent of tiie Indian Museum and 

 Professor of Zoology in the Medical College of Bengal. 



[Plate YII.] 

 Contents. 



§ 1. The Question of the Cceciliicla;. 



§ 2. The Distribution of the CceciliidcB compared with that of certain 



Sublittoral Geuera of Ilemiit-crabs. 

 § 3. The Distribution of the Cceciliidce explicable on the Theory of 



a Tethyan Sea, 

 § 4. Description of Herpele Fulleri, sp. n., from Cachar in the 



Province of Assam. 

 § 5. Table of the Cceciliidce, 



§ 1. The Question of the Cmciuid^. 



The Apodous Amphibia (Cieciliida3) are of interest, not 

 only to the morphologist, but also on account of their geogra- 

 phical distribution, for since these animals are specially 

 modified for a subterranean life, it is difficult to understand 

 how any of the ordinarily invoked modes of dispersal can 

 have ojjerated upon them. 



Up to the year 1895, according to Boulenger (P. Z. S. 

 1895, pp. 401-^14), 42 species of Ca-cilians were known — 

 namely, from tropical America 26, from tropical West 

 Africa (north of the Equator) 4, from East Africa 4, from 

 {Seychelles 3, from India and South-east Asia 5. 



Since the ].ublicatiun of Mr. Boulenger's paper 2 more 

 S|)ccies liave been described from tropical America and 1 each 

 from West and East Africa; and 1 have now to place on 



