DISTKIBUTION OF OPHIDIANS. 
207 
and Pyrenees, or in Southern Africa. The geographic 
distribution furnishes numerous facts for illustrating our 
position. It is well known that there exist, in different 
parts of Europe, and of the north in general, Lynxes 
differing more or less from each other, which seem dis- 
tinct races, produced by the influence of climate on the 
fur.^ The Fox of the north t is of a stronger make, and 
has a thicker fur, than that of the south of Europe : in 
Italy it remains very small, and has a black belly (Canis 
melanogaster, Bon.) The Stoat (Mustela erminea) of 
Sardinia and of Sicily, J differs a little in tint from indi- 
viduals found in the rest of Europe. The Bat (Mus de- 
cumanus) is replaced in the south of Italy by a race 
somewhat different : it is the Mus tectorum of the 
Prince of Musignano. Another very curious animal, 
which in many places represents our Mole, is the Blind 
Mole (Talpa Typhlops). It is known that the Chamois of 
the Alps presents slight differences from that of the Py- 
renees ; it would be interesting to know, if it also holds 
of the Bouquetins (Capra ibex) of those two chains of 
mountains. Bep tiles, in like manner, present many ex- 
amples of these local differences : our aquatic Salaman- 
ders frequently exhibit in the south more vivid colours 
than in the west of Europe ; while the common Toads of 
Italy have more uniform colours than usual, and the body 
is rough with spines. Slight differences exist between 
the Greek Tortoise of Italy, of Greece, of Syria, and of 
the north of Africa. The common Frog often has, in 
Sardinia, the body covered with large obsolete spots : in 
The same thing is remarked in the Tigers of the north of Asia, 
compared to those of Bengal, or even of Sumatra and Java ; similar 
phenomena are remarked in certain plants with smooth leaves, which, 
carried into a cold climate, become clothed with hairs, to defend them 
from the cold. 
t Japan, situated under the same parallel as the south of Europe, 
produces Foxes of a strong make, and of a beautiful fur, but much re- 
sembling our European Fox ; of which a fine variety is also known in 
the north of America (Canis argentatus, Geoff). 
I Species have been created on a pretended difference in the num- 
ber of the grinders — an observation which it is scarcely necessary to 
refute. 
