424 DR. M. A. SMITH ON REPTILES AND ' 



forms could have been taken, but with a good series in hand, and 

 the difficulties in transporting heavy collecting-tanks about the 

 country, it was necessary to place some limit upon wha,t was 

 caught. 



The number of snakes obtained was not great, and most of 

 these were caught after the rains had commenced in the middle 

 of April. Mountain-streaiBS abounded everywhere, and frogs, 

 chiefly of the genus Rana, were plentiful. A fine series of 

 Rhacophorus and Ixalus were also taken. During the day these 

 tree-frogs were seldom seen their small size and fine protective 

 colouration rendering them almost invisible among the bushes in 

 which they lived. Their shrill cries by night, however, guided one 

 quickly to them, and by means of a lantern they were easily found 

 and taken. 



Perhaps the two most interesting discoveries of the trip were 

 a new genus of snake, allied to Xenodev^ivK^, and a new species of 

 the degraded skink, Dihamus. A new form of Gymnodactylus 

 peguensis was obtained on the plateau, but, with the exception of 

 the common house-geckoes and the equally common Phyllo- 

 dactylus siamensis, the family Geckonidfe was remarkable for 

 its absence. .. The same can be said of Tropidophorus, a single 

 specimen only being obtained, although in search of frogs the 

 collectors were daily working along streams. Three new forms 

 of Rana and two of Megcdop)hrys are also described in this paper. 

 Want of time has prevented me, for the present, from completing 

 my examination of the Rhacophorus, the Ixalus, and the smaller 

 species of Lygosoma. 



On the whole, the Reptilian and Batrachian fauna of the 

 plateau, so far as my examination extends, approximates most 

 nearly to that of the hills of Siam and Southern Buima and the 

 hio-her hills of the Malay Peninsula. A few species only are 

 related to those of more northern origin. 



Types of all the species here described have been presented to 

 the British Museum of Natural History. 



Finally, 1 wish to express my thanks to Mr. G. A. Boulenger, 

 F.E..S., for his valuable help in several difficult determinations. 



The following localities were collected in : — 



Toior Cham, on the sea-coast (lat. 12° N.). 



Dahan, in the foot-hills at 200 metres altitude. Dry, deciduous 

 jungle, but fairlj^ dense. 



8ui Kat and Bran, localities about 6 kilometi-es apart in the 

 hills, at 1000 metres elevation. Chiefly evergreen jungle, with 

 some useful small swamps. 



Dalat, Oamly, Le Bosquet, Arhre Broye, localities on the 

 plateau at 1200 to 1800 metres. The country at the two first- 

 named camps was chiefly open pine-forests, but at the two last 

 dense evergreen jungle was met with. 



Langhian peaks, 2000 metres. Mixed forest, some pine, more 

 oak. 



