18/2.] REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS. 587 



British Museum, I have found it necessary to collect all the infor- 

 mation regarding the herpetology of Borneo which is scattered 

 through various works and periodicals. 



The first extensive collections received in Europe were from two 

 localities : — 1. From the Dutch settlements in the south of the island, 

 at Banjermassin, whence G. Miiller and others sent to the Leyden 

 Museum the specimens described by Schlegel in the " Bydragen tot 

 de Dierkunde" (Verhandelingen over de natuurl. Geschiedenis der 

 Nederlandsche overzeesche bezittingen) and in the ' Essai sur la 

 Physiognomie des Serpens.' 2. From the principality of Sarawak, 

 where Sir J. Brooke, Sir E. Belcher, and Mr. Low paid for a consi- 

 derable period much attention to the fauna. The collections made 

 by them were presented to the British Museum, and described partly 

 by Dr. Gray, and partly more recently by the author in the Cata- 

 logues of the British Museum aud in the * Beptiles of British India.' 



Another large collection was made at Labuan by Mr. J. Motley, 

 for, or with the assistance of, Mr. L. Llewellyn Dillwyn. It was 

 the intention of these gentlemen to publish an illustrated work con- 

 taining a full account of the animals, both vertebrate and inverte- 

 brate, inhabiting that island ; and, indeed, one part of this work, 

 entitled ' Contributions to the Natural History of Labuan and the 

 adjacent coasts of Borneo,' was issued in 1855 ; but the undertaking 

 was abandoned in consequence of the death of Mr. Motley. This 

 part contains descriptions of fourteen reptiles, some of which are 

 beautifully illustrated. Some years ago the collection made at La- 

 buan was presented by Mr. Dillwyn to the British Museum ; unfor- 

 tunately it had been mixed up with another obtained at Banjer- 

 massin. 



The next contribution to Bornean herpetology was made by Dr. 

 Bleeker, who reported, in the ' Natuurk. Tyds. for Nederl. Indie,' on 

 several collections received from various localities. He enumerates 

 some twenty species from Sinkawang (vol. xvi. 1859, pp. 37, 188), 

 and seven from Montrado (ibid. p. 197) on the west coast, three 

 from Koti on the east coast (ibid. p. 206), and sixteen from Sintang 

 (ibid. vol. xx. 1860, p. 200). In 1859 Dr. Bleeker was able to 

 give a list of some ninety species known from Borneo (vol. xvi. pp. 

 438-141), which number, however, is reduced by a critical exami- 

 nation to eighty- four. It is a matter of some inconvenience that 

 this author introduced into his lists many names of species which he 

 has never described. From an examination of the typical specimens 

 (which have been obtained for the British Museum) I find that but 

 few of these names can be maintained, as the majority were given to 

 known species, whilst others have been superseded by names given 

 at a later period, but accompanied with a proper description. 



A. C. J. Edeling has made a further addition to the fauna of 

 Banjermassin. In 'Nederl. Tyds. Dierk.' ii. 1865, he enumerates 

 sixteen species previously not known from that part of Borneo. 

 And, finally, Prof. Peters has given descriptions of nineteen new 

 species, collected by the Marquis Doria at Sarawak, in ' Monatsber. 

 Berl. Acad.' 1871, p. 569. 



