M. Belangers Collections. 



93 



Tetraonyx, (T. longicollis,) discovered by M. Belanger in 

 the Irrawaddi at Pegu ; a Crocodile, Crocodilus palustrus, 

 Less, which is only seen in the marshes on the borders of 

 the Ganges; two species of Geeko, G. eleutherodactylus, 

 Less, of Bengal, and the Geeko triedrus, Daud. from the 

 environs of Pondichery ; the iV«;« kaouthia^ Less, a mag- 

 nificent species, the Coluber hancorage, Less, and C. Kor- 

 rosid, the Microcephalophis gracilis, Less., a species of 

 marine serpent found by M. Belanger on the coast of Mala- 

 bar, and in the Gulph of Martaban ; the Rana Sanguine-ma' 

 culata, Less., and two other species of Rana; viz. R. brama, 

 Less, and R. hexadactyla, id., belonging to the South of India ; 

 lastly, the Bufo isos, Less., a common species in Bengal. 



M. Valenciennes, to whose knowledge and zeal has been 

 confided the description of the fishes, supplies in an abridg- 

 ed form certain general views on the Ichthyology of the 

 Indian seas, and in particular of the coast of Malabar, ex- 

 plored with so much success on this occasion by M. Belan- 

 ger, to whom this branch of science is indebted for numerous 

 interesting materials. M. Valenciennes has only, however, 

 described eighteen species of fishes, selected from upwards 

 of two hundred, which form the rich collection of our tra- 

 veller. These descriptions of species are all preceded 

 by elucidations of the characters of the genera to which 

 they belong. It is to be regretted, that M. Valenciennes 

 has not taken advantage of the pages devoted to the illus- 

 tration of these collections, of making us acquainted with 

 a greater number of species, and particularly of the species 

 of those families, which have not yet been treated of in the 

 Histoire Naturelle des PoissonSy to which, for their generic 

 characters, it is sufficient to refer the reader. 



M. Deshayes, entrusted with the description of the Mol- 

 luscs, directed the first part of his labours to summary 

 reflections on the importance of the study of these animals, 

 as applied to the chronological history of the terrestrial 



