198 PROF. J. LOGAN LOBLEY, F.G.S., F.R.G.S., ON 
The order Opisthocomi has been constituted to contain the 
Opisthocomns cristatus which cannot be placed in any other 
family, and is exclusively American, inhabiting Guiana and 
Eastern Brazil, where it is called the Cigana or gipsy bird. 
Birds of prey, Accipitres, have four families out of six in 
America. The Vulturidse has been divided into two sub- 
families, one the Vulturinse, true vultures, being confined to 
the Old World, and the other, the Sarcorhamphinae, to the New 
World. This latter contains the great condor, Sarcorhccviphus 
condor, which soars to very high elevations in the Andes. 
The Grallae, waders and running birds, have a large represen- 
tation in America. Of the nineteen families fifteen have 
species there, and of these seven are confined to the New 
World. 
Of the order Anseres, or swimming birds, each of its eight 
families is represented in America, and five are in both North 
and South America. The Antarctic Penguins appear on the 
coast of Peru and the Arctic Columbidte, auks, guillemots, etc., 
in the northern part of the continent. The inland family, 
Anatidte, ducks, geese and swans, range all over both North and 
South America. 
The Struthiones, or wingless birds, have in America a very 
small representation, the Pdiea, with three species, being the 
only genus of the order to be found in the New World. 
Rcptilia and Amphibia. 
The reptilian and amphibian fauna of America is, like the 
avian, chiefly developed in the southern part of the continent. 
The order Ophidia, or snakes, has fifteen out of twenty-five 
families in America chiefly confined to the tropical and forest 
regions, though the rattlesnakes may be found as far northwards 
as Canada on the east and British Columbia on the west. The 
great boa is confined to tropical America, but one species of the 
same family, Pythonidte is in California. The family Viperidae, 
which gives to this country our only venomous snake, is 
entirely absent from America. 
Of the order Lacertilia, or lizards, there are fifteen out of 
twenty-seven families represented in America, and of the 
fifteen no less than eight are peculiar to that continent. The 
Iguanas have a few species in the Fiji and Galapagos islands, 
and are, it is said, in Australia, but with such exceptions these 
interesting reptiles, extending to 23G species, are American. 
On the other hand, chameleons are quite absent from both 
North and South America. 
