FAUNiE. 
llept. 3 
A frica. 
W. Peters’ account of the Reptiles collected by Dr. Buchholz in 
Western Africa is continued in MB. Ak. Berl. 1876, pp. 117-123, pi. 
figs. 1 & 2. 
Asia. 
Eastern Persia. An account of the Journeys of the Persian Boundary 
Commission, 1870-71-72, edited by Sir E. J. Goldsmid, London : 1876, 
2 vols. 8vo. Vol. ii. The Zoology and Geology, by W. T. Blanford. 
Reptilia and Amphibia, pp. 304-432, pis. xix.- xxviii. 
The complete systematic account of the Reptilian fauna of Persia is 
now published, descriptions of the new species having already ap- 
peared. It adds largely to the number of Reptiles hitherto known to 
exist in Persia. No Crocodiles have yet been found. Lizards are by 
far the most abundant ; on the semi-desert plains, Ereniias, Phrynoce- 
phalus^ and Agama prevail, Acanthodactylus being only met with in the 
South; a huge Uromasticid {Cenirotrachelus) lives in burrows at the 
edge of the Sistin and Karmdn desert, a second on the shores of the 
Persian Gulf, and a true Uromastix inhabits Mesopotamia. In hilly 
parts, Stellio and Ophiops prevail. Geckos and Scincoids are less nume- 
rous. Of Snakes, the prevailing forms are Psammophis and Zamenis, 
and, in Northern Persia especially, Tropidonotus hydrus. The only com- 
mon poisonous Snake is Echis carinaius. All those obtained belong to 
the ViperidcB, but poisonous Colubridce undoubtedly exist. 
A. Straucii has described the Reptilia and Amphibia collected by 
Col. Prejevalsky in Mongolia, in N. Prejevalsky’s “ Mongolia i Strana 
Tangutov,” St. Petersburg : 1876, 8vo, vol. ii. pt. 3, pp. 1-55, pis. 
i.-viii. Twenty-four species are described (14 new). 
W. T. Blanford, Ann. N. H. (4) xvii. pp. 292 & 293, criticises that 
portion of Wallace’s work (supra) which deals with the Reptilian fauna 
of India. The same author’s remarks ‘ ‘ On some of the Specific Identifi- 
cations in Dr. Gunther’s Second Report on Collections of Indian Rep- 
tiles obtained by the British Museum” [Zool. Rec. xii. p. 95], P. Z. S. 
1876, pp. 635-637, refer to Cahrita hrunnea, Ophiops jerdoni^ Blyth, and 
Hemidactylus coctcei. This author also describes the Lizards of a collec- 
tion made in Western Sind, in the early part of 1875; five species are 
added to the Indian fauna, three of them being new [the diagnoses of 
these were printed in 1875, and referred to in Zool. Rec. xii. p. 95] : 
J. A. S. B. (n. s.) xlv. pt. 2, pp. 18-26, pis. i. & ii. 
New Guinea and Northern Australia. 
W. Peters in his report on the Reptiles collected in the voyage of 
the “Gazelle,” notices and describes a number of species from this 
region. MB. Ak. Berl. 1876, pp. 528-535. 
W. Macleay states that large collections of Reptilia were made in 
New Guinea by the “ Chevert ” expedition ; all the Snakes he believes 
are new, and with one exception venomous. P. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. i. 
p. 38. 
