is 



Nils Rosén 



It has been shown that the avifauna has been derived largely from the Greater 

 Antilles by way of Cuba, but also to some extent from Florida. The last element 

 however is of a more recent origin. In most places there is nothing striking about 

 the bird life. They are small and of dull colours, except a few orioles, the hum- 

 ming birds and the large turkey buzzard (Cathartes aura), which is rather common 

 in some places. But there are some places where the bird life is very rich and 

 interesting, e. g. along the western coast of Andros. Here are in bights, creeks and 

 in the numerous ponds a great abundance of ducks, several forms of herons, peli- 

 cans and flamingos, which give to this vast uninhabited area a very interesting and 

 charming character. 



About 30 species of reptiles are found. Everywhere there are to be met 

 with the small lizards, the males of which are provided with a pretty gular sack, 



belonging to the genus Ano- 

 lis, the »American chame- 

 leons*. Along sandy beaches 

 the pretty, striped lionlizard 

 [Ameiva thoracica) is rather 

 common. Under rocks and 

 stones small Boas [UngaUa) 

 are to be found curled up. 

 No poisonous snakes occur. 

 Close to the settlements the 

 » chicken- » or »fowl snake » 

 {Epicrates sttiatus) the lar- 

 gest snake of the islands, 

 measuring up to several feet, 

 may be seen. As I have 

 Fig. 1. Palms (V'est side of Andros). shown in the second part 



of this paper, the reptile 



fauna is derived solely from Cuba and Haiti. No form has invaded the islands 

 from Florida. Three-fifths of the reptile fauna is endemic. Of frogs there is only 

 one species common, the »bull frog» (Hyla septentrionalis), wliich also has invaded 

 from Cuba and Haiti. 



Of other land animals I will only mention a few forms, which are somewhat 

 more conspicuous. Under stones and rocks large centipeds, scorpions and spiders 

 will be found. Shells abound, especially the forms of Cepolis and Cerion, the latter 

 varying very much in different localities ^. Of insects may be mentioned two 

 luminous forms, which at night are in perpetual motion, making a wonderful sight, 

 the never-ceasing singers, and the great plague of the islands in summer, the nu- 



' See: Plate, Die Vaiiabilität und die Artbildung nach dem Prinzip geographischer Formen- 

 ketten bei den Cerion-Landschnecken der Bahama-lnseln. — Arch. f. Rassen- und Gesellsch. -Biologie. 

 IV (1907). 



