1892.] ON REPTILES ETC. FROM NYASSALAND. 555 



3. Report on a Collection of Reptiles and Batracliians trans- 

 mitted by Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., from Nyassaland. 

 By Dr. A. Guxther, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 



[Received NoTsmber 1, 1892.] 

 (Plates XXXIII.-XXXV.) 



Acting under instructions from Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., F.Z.S., 

 Mr. Sclater has sent to the British Museum a series of specimens of 

 Reptiles and Batrachians collected by Mr. Alexander Whyte, F.Z.S., 

 the naturalist attached to Mr. Johnston's staff, in the Shire Hi"-h- 

 lands snuth of Lake Xyassa, principally upon Mount Zomba and 

 Mount ^Jilanji. 



Mr. Johnston has directed that the first set of these specimens, 

 after they are determined, shall be deposited in the National 

 Collection. 



The present consignment consists of 90 specimens. These are re- 

 ferable to 12 species of Lizards, viz. : Mahouia varia, Ptrs. ; 

 Mabouia quinqueUeninta (Licht.) ; Sepsina tetradactyla (Ptrs.); 

 Agama atricolJis (Smith) ; Agama mcssambica (Ptrs.) ; Agama 

 A-ir/tiV (Blgr.) ; Lyriodactylus capensis (Smith); Lijgodacti/lus an- 

 nularis {s^. n.); Chamceleon d'lepis (var. Ch. parvilobus, Blgr.) ; 

 Chamceleon isabellinus (sp. n.) ; Rhauipholeon platyceips (sp. n.) ; 

 RliampJwleon brachyurus (sp. n.). 



Ten species of Snakes are represented, viz. : Typhlops obtusus 

 (Ptrs.) ; TJriechis capensis (Smith), probably = TJ. niyriceps (Ptrs.) ; 

 Psammophylax- variabilis (sp. n.); Homalosoma hitrix (L.) ; Ahce- 

 tulld irregularis (Lench) ; Leptodirarufesce7is (Gm.); Lycophidium 

 horstocUi (Schleg.) ; Boodon lineatus (D. B.) ; Causus rostratus 

 (Gthr.); Clotho arietans (Merr.). 



Five species of Batrachians are represented, viz. : Ranafasciata 

 (Tschudi) ; Rana nyassce (sp. n.); Bufo regularis (Keuss); Bre- 

 viceps mossambicus (Ptrs.) ; Scolecomorpkus kirkii (Blgr.). 

 ^ The majority of these Reptiles and Batrachians, although pre- 

 viously known from othfr parts of Central and Eastern Africa, are 

 new to our knowledge of the Reptihan Fauna of the Nyassa district. 

 This knowledge is extremely scanty \ and embraces, even with the 

 aid of the present consignment, only a small fraction of the actual 

 number of species that must inhabit a district apparently so favour- 

 able to the development of Reptilian life. As we may shortly 

 expect further consignments, it would be premature to attempt a 

 comparison of this fauna with those of other parts of Tropical Africa 

 and I proceed at once to the description of the new forms. 



Lygodactylxjs ANGULARis. (Plate XXXIIL fig. 1.) 



Head, body, and particularly the tail depressed ; suout obtusely 



■ As will appear from a perusal of three papers, two bv the author in Proe 

 Zool. Soe. 1864, p. 303, and in Ann. &' Mag. JST. H. ser. 6"! i. p. .322 (ISSS), and 

 one by Mr. Bouleiiger in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1891, p. 305. 



