126 
G. J. DE FEJÉR VÁR Y 
lias been developed, the sub-order Platynota formed only by the gens 
Varanomorpha with its sole family and only genus, together with the one 
gens Dolichosauromor'pha, — known up to now in Europe exclusively 
is in itself already so far differentiated that the highly specialized genus 
Varanus cannot be considered as being from a polyphyletical 
origin ; it is therefore not probable that, in case of a monophy- 
leticai origin, Varanidae should have existed in the Palaeogene period in 
Europe and Asia, as this would mean an i n c r e d i b 1 y r a p i d ex¬ 
tension, justified by no biological example or reason forthcoming 
among land- or f r es h-w ater forms of Reptil es such as Varanus. 
If therefore we wished to establish the Asiatic origin of the genus Varanus 
from its occurrence in the Eocene strata of Europe, and accoun¬ 
ting for the space of time necessary to its expansion, it could be surmised 
that Varanus- 1 ike lizards existed in Asia previously to the Eocene, as 
early as the Mesozoicum, which supposition would however 
call forth new objections based on our present phylogenetical notions on 
the subject . Therefore, as may be seen, the conjecture of an Asiatic origin 
of Varanus leads but to a very labyrinth of unnecessary and undesirable 
hypotheses and theories complicating questions which their intervention 
ought to simplify. 
2° Proceeding to the question of a partial A's ia' tic origin, 
i.e.of Varanus marathonensis alone eventually originating from Asia, though 
from an ancestor whose predecessors had com 1 from the Wes t, yet of which, 
later on, towards the end of the Miocene, a ramification, had issued, sprea¬ 
ding in the contrary direction, from East to West, this again could but 
be regarded as a hypothesis worthy of the realm of fantasy. It is a well 
known fact that the climate in Europe at that epoch was cooling down ; 
the Miocene subtropical heat was followed by Pliocene m e d i t e r r a- 
n e a n climatic conditions, which circumstance biologically would seem 
to rather infer a withdrawal eastwards and also that V. marathonensis 
followed in its geographical expansion the direction from West to East. 
As previously mentioned, F. marathonensis so closely agrees with V. 
Hofmanni from Germany, as to lead to a possible indentification, in 
which case no more doubt could subsist as regards the Western 
o r i g i n. 
In connexion with F. marathonensis I have pointed to the fact of 
proportionally great resemblance existing between t his form and F. griseus 
of to-day, which is met with already in Asia-Minor, in the neighbourhood 
of the Caspian See. The Western origin of this recent species may there¬ 
fore equally be supposed with regard to its direct ancestor, being probably 
V. marathonensis itself, (or a species closely connected to it). Whether F. 
