78 Mr. G. A. Boulenger on the Geographical 



If we attempt to divide the globe as to its Batrachian 

 fauna, two primaiy divisions present themselves, viz. a 

 northern zone, comprising the Palsearetic and Nearctic Regions, 

 and an equatorial southern zone. But for Lizards we have 

 to draw a line from pole to pole, forming the Old World 

 and Australia on the one hand, and America on the other, 

 into primary divisions. And, proceeding to further sub- 

 division, we find that the Ethiopian and Oriental or Indian 

 Regions, which in their Batrachians are so closelj related, have 

 little in common as regards Lizards ; whilst, on the contrary, 

 the Oriental and Australian, so widely different in their 

 Batrachians, are extremely similar. We find also that the 

 Palsearctic or Europgeo- Asiatic, the Batrachian fauna of which 

 is so well characterized and without any affinity whatever to 

 the Ethiopian, bears the closest resemblance to the latter 

 region, differing only in the absence of various types which 

 flourish in the tropical and subtropical zones. However, 

 before proceeding to further remarks as to this division, I 

 must give a synopsis of the ranges of the various families 

 into which I have divided the order Lacertilia. 



The two families Geckonidse and Scincidse may be left out, 

 as, being composed of a very large number of genera which 

 are distributed over the whole of the warmer parts of the 

 world, they may be termed cosmopolitan. We must notice, 

 however, that they both agree in being scantily represented 

 in South America and abundantly in Australia. Dismissing 

 also the small family Eublepharidse, the extraordinary distri- 

 bution of which (West Africa, Southern Asia from the 

 Euphrates to Bengal, and Central America) is unparalleled, 

 we retain the following families, which, owing to their more 

 restricted range, throw greater light upon the subject. They 

 may be divided into two groups : A. Small families, having a 

 narrow range ; B. Large and more widely distributed fami- 

 lies : — 



A. UroplatidcE. Madagascar. 

 Pygopodidce. Australia. 

 Xenosauridce. Central America. 

 Zonuridce. South Africa and Madagascar. 

 Aniellidce. California, 

 Helodermatidce. Mexico. 



Xantusiidce. California, Central America, and Cuba. 

 O err hosaur idee. Africa and Madagascar. 

 Anelytropidoe. Africa. 

 Dibamidce. New Guinea. 



B. Agaviidoi. Most abundantly represented in the East 



Indies, less so in Australia, still less in Africa aud 



