70 
Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
namaquensis. As already stated, this fauna is concentrated in German 
South-West Africa, western Cape Colony, and the Karroo, whilst only 
comparatively few elements extend to the high central plateau constituted 
by the Orange River Colony and high and middle veld portions of the 
Transvaal ; this central plateau, apart from the species which are un- 
doubtedly representatives of the western fauna, has very few species 
peculiar to the area, and the rest of its fauna is made up of widely- 
distributed species, so that I do not think that this area is entitled to stand 
as a sub-region distinct from the western and of equal importance to it. 
The headquarters of the typical western and eastern faunas are areas 
of widely different environment, the western portion being comparatively 
arid and rainless, whilst more genial conditions prevail in the eastern area. 
Consequently the western fauna shows to a considerable extent, structural 
adaptations with the surroundings, as for example in Typhlosaurus lineatus 
with its sharp cutting snout for burrowing in baked earth and burning 
sand; the species of Scapteira (Lacertidae) and the gecko Ptenopus garrulus , 
with their broadly-fringed digits, which allow of rapid movement over 
loose sand ; Ghamaeleon namaquensis , whose brown and sombre hues, 
assimilating with the desert colours, contrast strongly with the vivid greens 
of bush-frequenting chamaeleons. 
The more characteristic fauna of the eastern region includes the 
following genera and species : In the Scincidae the species of Herpetosaura 
and Melanoseps and Acontias plumbeus ; the geckonid genera Homopholis, 
Platypholis, and Diplodactylus ; the degraded Typhlosaurus aurantiacus 
and cregoi ; in the Amphisbaenidae three species, Amphisbaena violacea , 
Monopeltis sphenorhynchus , and the genus Chirindia ; two species of Agama, 
namely, kirki and mossambica ; the great majority of the species of 
Rhampholeon and probably Ghamaeleon damaranus and caffer. 
This eastern region extends along the southern coastal strip of Cape 
Colony for a considerable distance in a westerly direction, reaching as far 
as Knysna, though the most characteristic species of the region do not 
extend much further south than Zululand. In thus Refining the southern 
limits of the eastern areas I have been guided to some extent also by the 
distribution of the widely distributed tropical species which extend south- 
wards into our area. Such tropical species in all cases extend much further 
southwards on the eastern side than on the western side. In some cases, 
e.g. Mabiiia qiiinquetaeniata, the species extends from Angola to East 
Africa, but southwards it scarcely penetrates into German South-West 
Africa, and avoids the high central plateau, but extends in a southerly 
direction into low veld Transvaal, Zululand, Natal, and Werner 
records it from the Graliamstown neighbourhood. Lygosoma sundevcdli 
and Ablepharus wahlbergi have a similar distribution, but these species 
encroach somewhat further on the western side. Mabuia striata , the 
common house skink, occurs throughout the whole area with the exception 
of south-western Cape Colony. Much the same kind of distribution 
obtains amongst the tropical geckos. Hemidactylus mabouia appears to be 
altogether absent from German South-West Africa and the central plateau, 
but eastwards it extends into Barberton District and Zululand. Lygodac- 
tylus capensis again is absent from German South-West Africa, and from 
western Cape Colony, but occurs on the high plateau, extending as far 
south as Kimberley on the western side and Natal on the east side. 
Ghamaelon quilensis is found throughout the whole area with the 
exception of Cape Colony. 
