192 
Annals of the Teansvaal Museum, 
Brookesia superciliaris, Kuhl. Several examples from Anala- 
mazotra. This animal was generally taken on the bark of trees ; its 
peculiar shape and general colour harmonizes well with the lichen, moss, 
etc., which covers the trees in these parts. 4247-50. 
It would be difficult to explain the extreme differentiation amongst 
the Chamaeleons of Madagascar in terms of any theory known to us. Not 
only is there a great number of species apparently distinct from each other, 
but in many cases the structural characters which separate the members 
of a group of closely allied species would not seem to be specifically 
adaptative (e.g. the head processes of parsonsi and other groups) ; whilst 
on the other hand the many lines of variation represented therein would 
hardly afford evidence in favour of orthogenetic evolution. We can 
point to two important external factors which may be supposed to have 
operated in the formation of species : — (1) Climatic and environmental 
differences — these are very great, even in comparatively small areas ; (2) 
geographical isolation — the slow movements of Chamaeleons afford possi- 
bilities for isolation such as do not obtain in the great majority of Reptiles. 
Whether all closely related forms are geographically or topographically 
isolated from each other we cannot say ; it seems probable that such is 
the case in the parsonsi group at any rate. 
OPHIDIA. 
Boidae. 
Corallus madagascariensis, D. and B. A single specimen from 
Analamazotra, which measures 1240 mm. in total, length, of which the tail 
is 125 mm. 2500. 
Colubridae. 
Polyodontophis torquatus, Blgr. Two specimens, one from Ambo~ 
hidratrimo, and the other from Analamazotra. The largest of the two 
has the tail imperfect, but measures from snout to vent 415 mm. 2501-02. 
Dromicodryas bernieri, D. and B. Several specimens from the 
south-west, at Betsioky and on the Onilahy River. 2503-07. 
Genus Liopholidophis, Mocquard. We have followed Mocquard in 
using the generic term Liopholidophis to include the Malagasy species 
which were formerly referred to the genus Tropidonotus ; in his thesis 
on the Reptiles and Amphibians of Madagascar, Mocquard writes : — 
“ Rapportees successivement aux genres Dromicus, Leptophis, et Tro- 
pidonotus , les especes rangees i§i sous le nom generique de Liopholidophis 
presentent cette particularity que, chez les males, les hemipenis sont 
profondement divisees et que la queue est, en general, incomparablement 
plus longue que chez les femelles.” We may further point out that the 
maxillary dentition of these species is quite different from that of the 
South African representative of the old genus Tropidonotus , viz. T. lae- 
vissimus. 
L. lateralis, D. and B. Taken in various parts of the country ; 
localities are Ambatoharanana (near Ampasimpotsy=Masse) in the east, 
in rice fields near Tananarive on the plateau, in the south-west on the 
Onilahy River, and at Betsioky. 2511-19. 
