391 



soglossa, Geotriton, Onychodaetylutf, Triton, Euproctus, Sieboldia, 

 Proteus *. 

 Cosmopolitan genera excepted, we have only one genus common 



with another region — Polypedates. 



We ma; assign to this region 15 species of tailless Batrachians 



and 30 of the Urodela, which gives on the average a single species 

 to each 300,000 Bquare miles. The region is distinguished by the 

 production of a part of the tailed Batrachians, a group of the animal 

 kingdom which must he. considered peculiar to the Arctic regions 

 both of the New and Old World t; and although the species of llro- 

 ilelcs of the New World must be considered as types of different 

 genera, yet the families exhibit representatives in both the regions. 

 Some of the species of Batrachians are known to he extremely local 

 {Pelodytes punetatus, Pelobates cultripes, Sieboldia, Proteus) ; hut 

 other species and genera are spread over the whole Bpace of this 

 region, proving in the most striking way the natural extent of this 

 primary division. There is not a single tailed Batrachian known 

 from Tropical Africa ; but north of the Atlas we find Salamandra 

 maculosa and Pleurodes waltlii, both inhabitants of Europe, and also 

 a peculiar species, Euproctus poireti. As far as we know the west- 

 ern parts of Asia, belonging to this region, we meet specie, of Ba- 

 trachians with all the characters of the true inhabitants of Europe ; 

 and what forms we should find in the centre and in the eastern 

 parts by a better knowledge of these countries, is easily to be in- 

 ferred by a glance on the fauna of Batrachians of Japan. Their w< 

 find:—* 



liana rugosa. Ellipsoylossa . 



esculent a. Geotriton Juscus. 



temporaria, Onychodactylus. 



Bufo vulgaris. Triton subcristatus. 



Polypedates sehlegelii. Sieboldia. 

 Hyla urborea. 



( )f the twelve species of these islands, five are identical with Bpecies 

 in Europe, and one {Triton subcristatus) belongs to a European 

 genus. Three genera of Urodeles are peculiar to Japan, Sieboldia 

 being more closely allied to Menopoma from America than to an\ 

 other genus. Polypedates sehlegelii is a single representative of an 

 East Indian genus, species of which, however, are also met with in 

 Madagascar. Thus we find in Japan aground which is Supplied from 

 a tropical region with Snake-, and from an arctic one with Batra- 

 chians. 



II. /Ethiopian Region. 



Characteristic forms. — Dactylethra, Tomopterna, Uei 



* Respecting the new denominations, I refer to my ' Catalogue of Batrachia 

 Salientia in the Collection of the llritisli Museum,' which will shortly be pub- 

 lished. 



t I quite agree with those naturalists who think the ch l rriha and 



tiren sufficient for forming w parate classes of ' trtsbraim. 



