HERPETOLOGY OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF BADEN. 15 



Yet, notwithstanding these apparent inducements, the number 

 of those who have published observations on this branch of Natural 

 History is relatively insignificant, even when compared with that 

 of their collaborators of the neighbouring provinces ; so much 

 so, that the author who first, in 1883, sketched a brief outline of 

 the entire native Fauna, is able to enumerate only two previous 

 papers as dealing with these classes. In the two pages devoted 

 to Herpetology of the treatise above referred to, an accurate, 

 though not very detailed, account of the habitat of each species, 

 so far as was then possible, is given ; but since that time the 

 study of this science has progressed with rapid strides, and, as 

 is usually the case, some of the most valuable contributions to a 

 general knowledge are found scattered throughout various works. 



The following notes — founded mostly on observations which 

 terminated with the earlier half of 1889 — may perhaps induce 

 others visiting this part of Germany to take up the same subject, 

 and I may here premise that much still remains to be cleared up, 

 as there is an astounding dearth of information respecting, for 

 instance, the range of some of the more nocturnal and restricted 

 batrachia, whose economy can be investigated successfully only 

 at certain seasons of the year, as well as of those species which 

 have only of late been added to the Fauna of Europe. 



I have refrained from entering into descriptions of typical 

 forms such as will be found in all systematic works, but have 

 ventured to discuss more fully some of the phenomena of 

 coloration, in the hope that this enquiry may merit the notice of 

 other observers who have hitherto confined their remarks to the 

 more descriptive side of the subject. 



Eeptilia. — Order I. Chelonia. 

 1. Emys lutaria, Mars. — Any specimens obtained in the Grand 

 Duchy within recent times have doubtless not been of wild 

 origin, and it may be added that equally little importance can be 

 attached to the accounts of its occurrence in other parts of 

 South Germany, such as in the neighbourhood of Kreuznach 

 and various parts in Bavaria, &c, — reports which have generally 

 been founded on the capture of single individuals, escaped or 

 purposely liberated. In Switzerland, also, its occurrence in a 

 wild condition seems very doubtful, though F. v. Tschudi notes 

 the capture of several in the valley of the Reuss, " which did 



