EDITOR'S NOTE 



How often have we all been frustrated when identifying 

 reptiles and amphibians by our poor memory of the 

 critical publication or, even worse, not even knowing 

 a key existed? This review of identification sources 

 is aimed at the reduction of such frustrations. 



George began this project to summarize the literature 

 of the Oriental region. His initial enthusiasm pushed 

 him into adjacent regions, and, once committed, his 

 momentum carried him through the entire Eastern Hemi- 

 sphere. The size of the resulting manuscript requires 

 that we publish it in seven parts: I. Introduction 

 and General List, II. Africa, III. Asia, IV. Asia 

 Minor, Atlantic Ocean and Islands, and Australia, 

 V. Europe, Indian Ocean and Islands, and I ndo-Austral ian 

 Archipelago, VI. Madagascar, Pacific Ocean and Islands, 

 and Philippine Islands, VII. Bibliography. These, as 

 all other SHIS publications, will appear at irregular 

 intervals. G. Zug 



