ZOOLOGY. : 747 
part of Africa comparable to what is referred to in Prof. Baird’s 
account (mentioned by Mr. R. Ridgway in American NATURALIST, 
Sept., 1873) of the influence of the local circumstances, causing, 
in birds of the interior of western North America, “a bleached or 
weather-beaten appearance, possibly the result of greater exposure 
to the elements, and less protection by dense forests.” Egypt has 
truly no forests; only thin groves of palms, doum trees, acacias, 
ete. Exposure to light is a characteristic of the country. But, 
apart from natural selection, or, indeed, it may be possibly through 
natural selection (in part at least),—is there not a proportion 
between chromatic variety of development and the complication of 
natural features of the country: i. e., does not the most arid, least 
undulating, physically most monotonous region or continent pre- 
sent, with slender-leafed plants and non-umbrageous trees, the 
minimum of coloration of birds, reptiles and insects,— probably 
also of flowers? If this idea be trite, instead of novel, my apolo- 
gy for bringing it forward must be my failure to discern it pre- 
cisely set forth in the papers of Dr. E. Coues, J. A. Allen and 
R. Ridgway, who appear to be conversant with what has been 
written upon the subject. Although Dr. Coues, for instance, 
distinctly states that “the maximum of brilliancy of color is 
reached in the tropics,” its intensity varying “in direct ratio with 
the temperature and humidity of the breeding place,” yet the di- 
rect influence of heat and moisture alone would seem to be here 
contemplated: while the manner of that influence remains yet to 
be explained. At all events I shall be glad if the mention of my 
brief observations on the poverty of coloration in the Egyptian 
winter fauna call out a statement upon the subject from some 
competent zoologist. or ornithologist, both as to the facts and their 
theoretic explanation.— H. Hartsuorne. 
Minicry 1n Snakes. — A friend recently brought me from 
Florida a fine specimen of the banded water-snake (Tropidonotus 
Jasciatus) which had been given him by a negro as one of the 
dreaded moccasons (Ancistrodon piscivorus). The resemblance 
was so perfect that I did not detect the error until I examined the 
head. I have since examined the specimens of this species in 
the Smithsonian collection and find that in many individuals the 
coloration imitates that of the moccason to perfection. It would 
seem that the species are not distinguished by the Florida people. 
