Xova Acta Acndemice NaturtB Curinsorum, 377 



leucoptera, Gmel. or more properly L. falcirostra. Lath. It is also the 

 Crucirostra bifasciata of Brehm's " Ornis." 



We have now arrived at Dr. Ritgen's " Versuch einer natiirlichen 

 " eintheilung der Amphibien," in vvhich the Amphibia (including the 

 Reptiliaj are subjected to a similar process of subdivision with the Birds; 

 and apparently also on principles nearly similar, the presence or absence 

 and modifications of the external limbs, serving as the basis of the 

 classification. We had intended here also to have given a tabular view 

 of the arrangement, but the length to which it would extend, the little 

 advantage to be derived from such a view unaccompanied by any of the 

 details on which it is founded, and our dislike to fill our pages unneces- 

 sarily with such words (if words they can be called) as Alryptodontopho- 

 lidophides and Bdalsipodobatrachi, induce us to forbear such an 

 infliction on the patience of our readers. The arrangement of Birds 

 already given must therefore serve as a specimen of the authour's mode 

 of systematizing. He seems, it is true, somewhat more at home in the 

 present branch of his subject, but we doubt much whether he has 

 succeeded better in developing the " Natural distribution;" which, it is 

 still necessary to repeat, and perhaps ever will be so, can never be attained 

 by the study of isolated characters, however important the organs from 

 which they are derived. 



Prince Maximilian of Wied's Memoir "Ueber den Quetz Paleo des 

 " Seba," contains a minute description of the animal which he now 

 regards as the Uromastyx ci/clurus, Merr., a species hitherto resting 

 solely on the figure and description given by Seba. The authour also 

 gives new distinctive characters of the nearly related genera Uromastyx 

 and Tropidnrus, a species of which latter discovered by himself in Brazil, 

 Trap, torquatiis, he had formerly considered identical with the Quelz 

 Paleo of Seba. The true Quetz Paleo was found by Dr. Boie on opening 

 the body of a specimen of the Coluber Lichtcnsteinii, Max., contained 

 in a collection of Amphibia transmitted to Leyden from South Brazil. 



This paper is succeded by one communicated by Fr. Boie " Ueber 

 " eine noch nicht beschriebene Art von Cordylns, Gron.," containing 

 the description of a second species of the genus Cordylus, Daud. It is 

 founded on a single specimen in the Leyden Museum, named by the 

 authour and his brother Cord, cataphractus. 



