196 REPORT— 1881. 



ranean fauna. On tlie other hand the Socotran Sand-Asp {Echis colorata) 

 belongs to an Arabian and Palestine species, while the Amphisbaena of 

 Socotra {F achy calamus brevis, gen. et sp. nov.) has its nearest allies in 

 Eastern and Western Tropical Africa. Of the six species of lizards of 

 which examples were in Mr. Blanford's series, three proved to be new to 

 science. 



As regards the Land Shells of Socotra, which are of special interest, 

 we annex a special report upon this branch of the subject drawn up by 

 Lieut.-Colonel Godwin-Austen, one of the Committee. 



From this report and from what has been already stated, it will be 

 obvious that, although the collections made by Professor Balfour were 

 very small in each group — in some cases almost of a fragmentary 

 character, the results in every case present features of great interest. It 

 is obvious that, judging from what is thus known, Socotra must possess 

 — what was thought scarcely probable by many at the time the scheme 

 for exploring it was first started — an indigenous fauna of considerable 

 extent, and well worthy of further investigation. As regards the flora 

 of Socotra we have said nothing, because Professor Balfour, who has 

 himself undertaken the investigation of the botanical collections, has not 

 yet completed his task. But a preliminary examination has shown, we 

 believe, that his series embraces about 150 absolutely new ilowering 

 plants, amongst which are from fifteen to twenty representatives of new 

 genera — so that it is manifest that, like the fauna, the flora of Socotra 

 possesses a strong autochthonous element. 



Under these circumstances, we trust that the Committee for the 

 investigation of the Natural History of Socotra may be re-appointed, with 

 its sphere extended so as to embrace the adjoining highlands of Arabia and 

 Somali-land, without the exploration of which it is not possible that a 

 true understanding of the flora and fauna of Socotra can be aiTived at ; 

 and that the sum of 2001. may be assigned to the Committee for this 

 purpose. 



Appendix. 



Beport on the Socotran Land and Freshivater Shells collected hy Professor 

 Balfour, hy Lieut.-Colonel H. H. Godwin-Austen, F.B.S. 



Since the last meeting of the British Association the land and freshwater 

 shells of Socotra, which were assigned to me to work out, have been nearly 

 all described, and quite come up to the expectations I was led to form of 

 them at a first inspection. The Cyclostomacese were described in a paper 

 which was read before the Zoological Society in February, 1881, illustrated 

 by two plates ; the Pulmonata, in June, also illustrated by two plates. In 

 the first paper, we find that no less than seven species of Otojioma (Africo- 

 Arabian) were brought home, of which four are quite new, viz., 0. halfouri, 

 complanatum, conicum, and turhinatutn : Tropidophora (Madagascar-Rod- 

 riguez), two species, T. socotrana and halfouri: Lithidion (Arabia), one 

 species, L. marmorosum, and a Cyclotopsis (Southern India — Seychelles), 

 perhaps the most interesting form discovered by Professor Balfour in this 

 island, which 1 have named ornatus. This is another example of the con- 

 nection between Southern India on one side of the Arabian Sea and Africa 

 on the other. The Pulmonata are more numerous and mostly belong to 

 a sub-genus of the Bulimnli, Achatinelloides, Nevill, created for the very 



