The Fauna of British India Including Ceylon and Burma - Reptilia and Amphibia Volume 2 - Sauria

469 Pages·1935·15.15 MB·English

by  Malcolm A Smith

THE FAUNA OF BRITISH INDIA,
INCLTTBIHa
CEYLON AND BURMA.
POBLISHBD UKDEH THISAOTSOSITVOF TBS SeCBETAMTOF
StatefobIndia in Qouncil.
EDITED Br I.T.-COI1. E. B. S. SEFBtL, C.I.E., So.D., P.E.S., l.Jf.S.
REPTILIA and AMPHIBIA.
VOL, II.-SAURIA.
BT
MALCOLM A. SMITH, M.E.C.S., L.R.C.P. (Londok).
LONDON:
TAYLOR AND FRANCIS, RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.
Issued February 7, 1935.
PEDITBD BY TAILOB AND FEANCIS,
BEDLIONCOUBT,rEBETSIBEET.
CONTENTS.
Page
Jeontispieoe : Map oh the Iis-dian akd Indo-Chinbsb
Stjb-begion-s.
Author's Pebi'aob v
Systematic Index ix
Introdttotios"
:
Structure 1
Evolution and Devolution 7
Geographical Distribution 15
Economics 16
Preservation and Examination of Specimens. 17
.
Saubia 20
Alphabetical Ikdex 409
Glossary and Gbnbeai Index 423
Bibliography 425
.
Map op the Indianand Indo-Chinesb Hnx Districts.
Plate I.
o2

AUTHOE'S PKEFACE.
The present volume contains descriptions of 297 species of
Lizards, 248 of which occur in the IndianEmpire. Mr. Bou-
lenger's volume (1890) for that area, after eliminating a few
that were included upon incorrect data or have since been
placed as synonyms, contained 209 species.
The general plan and scope ofthis volume are the same as
in the previous one, and an account ofthe regions dealt with,
the geographical divisions, the methods of describing, etc.,
will be found in the Preface and Introductory Chapter to
that volume.
Most ofthenewtext-figureshavebeendrawnbyMissJoyce
Townend; figs. 5, 22, 35, 56, 58, 60, 70, 80, 86, and the Plate
are by Miss E. C. Humphreys; figs. 20, 59, and 61 are by
Miss B. Hopkins. I have also borrowed many illustrations
from Mr. Boulenger'swork of1890.
TheremarksonevolutionwhicharegivenintheIntroduction,
pages 7 to 15, are the outcome of the study ofthe structure
ofthe Indian and Indo-Chinese species. The problems which
started with them, however, had to be carried much further
afield, and a study of the whole group was usually necessary
;
vi author's preface.
before they could be completed. Only a summary of the
results is given here ; a fuller account will be published
elsewhere. It need hardly be said that upon lines similar
to those suggested in my remarks an immense amount of
investigation is still to be done. The evolution of the
structure ofreptileshas hardly yet beentouched.
The work in connection with this volume has been done
mainly in the British Museum (Natural History), and I must
first of all thank Mr. H. W. Parker, Assistant Keeper of
Zoology, for giving me free access to the Collection in his
charge. Dr. Baini Prashad, Director ofthe Indian Museum,
andMr. S. H. Prater of the BombayNatural History Society
have sentme forexaminationthe entire collections of Lizards
in their Institutions. I wish also to express my gratitude
to Dr E. AH, Zoological Museum, Berlin M. F. Angel,
;
Museum ofNatural History, Paris Prof. Ariangeli, Museum
;
ofZoology,Turin Mr.E.Banks,SarawakMuseum Dr.L.D.
; ;
Brongersma, Museum of Natural History, Leiden Mr. F. N.
;
Chasen, Baffles Museum Miss Doris Cochran, United States
;
National Museum Mr. P. E. P. Deraniyagala, Colombo
;
Museimi Dr. G. A. C. Herklots, Hongkong University
;
Mr. Arthur Loveridge, Museum of Comparative Zoology,
Harvard Dr.R.Mell Dr.E.Mertens,SenckenbergMuseum
; ; ;
Mr. C. H. Pope, American Museum of Natural History
;
Dr.Jean Roux, Museum ofNatural History,Basel Mr. K. P.
;
Schmidt,FieldMuseumofNaturalHistory Mr.E. H. Taylor,
;
KansasUniversity Prof. D. Vinciguerra, Museum of Natural
;
History, Genoa; and Dr. Otto Wettstein, Natural History
Moaeum, Vienna. Their co-operation has enabled me to
examine much valuable material. With a few exceptions,
wfaidi have been mentioned in the text, I have examined
5^
types ofall the species included in this work, both vaKd
&ailavalid, which are stiU in existence. To Dr. Leonhard
atjthoe's peepacb. vii
Stejneger I am indebted for help on several problems of
nomenclature, and to Mr. N. B. Eonnear for information on
many and various points connected witli India.
Finally,Ihave tothankthe Editor, Lt.-Col.R.B. S.Sewell,
for his careful scrutiny of the text and general help in the
production of the whole volume.
MALCOLM SMITH.
December 1934.