CHAP. XI.] 
THE ETHIOPIAN liEGION. 
273 
the right hand corner is the Leptosoma discolor , a bird which 
appears to be intermediate between such very distinct families 
as the cuckoos and the rollers, and is therefore considered to 
form a family by itself. It is a coppery-green above and nearly 
white beneath, with a black bill and red feet. The fan-shaped 
plant on the left is the traveller’s tree ( Urania speciosa), one of 
the peculiar forms of vegetation in this marvellous island. 
Reptiles. — These present some very curious features, compara- 
tively few of the African groups being represented, while there 
are a considerable number of Eastern and even of American 
forms. Beginning with the snakes, we find, in the enormous 
family of Colubridm, none of the African types ; but instead of 
them three genera — Herpetodi'yas, PMlodryas, and Reterodon — 
only found elsewhere in South and North America. The 
Psammophidse, which are both African and Indian, are repre- 
sented by a peculiar genus, Mimo'phis. The Dendropliidse are 
represented by Ahcetullct, a genus which is both African and 
American. The Dryiophidae, which inhabit all the tropics but 
are most developed in the Oriental region, are represented by 
a peculiar genus, Langaha. The tropical Pythonidse are repre- 
sented by another peculiar genus, Sanzinia. The Lycodontidm 
and Viperidm, so well developed in Africa, are entirely absent. 
The lizards are no less remarkable. The Zonuridse, abun- 
dantly developed in Africa, are represented by one peculiar 
genus, Cicigna. The wide-spread Scincidm by another peculiar 
genus, Pygomeles. The African Sepsidae, are represented by three 
genera, two of which are African, and one, Amphiglossus , peculiar. 
The Acontiadse are represented by a species of the African genus 
Acontias. Of Scincidm there is the wide-spread Euprepes. The 
Sepidse are represented by the African genera Seps and Scelotes. 
The Geckotidce are not represented by any purely African 
genera, but by Phyllodadylus, which is American and Aus- 
tralian ; Hemidactylus, which is spread over all the tropics ; by 
two peculiar genera; and by Uroplatis , Geckolepis, and Phelsuma, 
confined to Madagascar, Bourbon, and the Andaman Islands. 
The Agamidse, which are mostly Oriental and are represented in 
