| OCR Text |
Show 1892.] ON REPTILES ETC. FROM NYASSALAND. 555 3. Report on a Collection of Reptiles and Batrachians by Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., from Nyassaland. By Dr. A. GUNTHER, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. [Eeceived November 1, 1892.] (Plates XXXII I.-XXXV.) Acting under instructions from Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., F.Z.S., Mr. Sclater has sent to the British Museum a series of specimens of Reptiles and Batrachians collected by Mr. Alexander Whyte, F.Z.S., the naturalist attached to Mr. Johnston's staff, in the Shire Highlands south of Lake Nyassa, principally upon Mount Zomba and Mount Milanji. Mr. Johnston has directed that the first set of these specimens, after they are determined, shall be deposited in the 'National Collection. The present consignment consists of 90 specimens. These are referable to 12 species of LIZARDS, viz.: Mabouia varia, Ptrs.; Mabouia quinquetceniata (Licht.) ; Sepsina tetradactyla (Ptrs.) ; Agama atricollis (Smith) ; Agama mossambica (Ptrs.) ; Agama kirkii (Blgr.) ; Lygodactylus capensis (Smith); Lygodactylus an-gularis (sp. n.); Chameeleon dilepis (var. Ch. parvilobus, Blgr.) ; Chamceleon isabellinus (sp. n.); Rhampholeon platyceps (sp. n.) ; Rhampholeon brachyurus (sp. n.). Ten species of S N A K E S are represented, viz. : Typhlops obtusus (Ptrs.) ; XJriechis capensis (Smith), probably = V. nigriceps (Ptrs.) Psammophylax variabilis (sp. n.) ; Homalosoma tutrix (L.); Ahce-tulla irregularis (Leach) ; Leptodira rufescens (Gm.); Lycophidium horstockii (Schleg.); Boodon lineatus (D. B.); Causus rostratus (Gthr.) ; Clotho arietans (Merr.). Five species of B A T R A C H I A N S are represented, viz. : Rana fasciata (Tschudi); Rana nyassce (sp. n.); Bufo regularis (Keuss); Bre-viceps mossambicus (Ptrs.) ; Scolecomorphus kirkii (Blgr.). The majority of these Reptiles and Batrachians, although previously known from other parts of Central and Eastern Africa, are new to our knowledge of the Reptilian Fauna of the Nyassa district. This knowledge is extremely scanty1, and embraces, even with the aid of the present consignment, only a small fraction of the actual number of species that must inhabit a district apparently so favourable to the development of Reptilian life. As we may shortly expect further consignments, it would be premature to attempt a comparison of this fauna with those of other parts of Tropical Africa, and I proceed at once to the description of the new forms. LYGODACTYLUS ANGULARIS. (Plate XXXIII. fig. 1.) Head, body, and particularly the tail depressed ; snout obtusely 1 As will appear from a perusal of three papers, two by the author in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1864, p. 303, and in Ann. & Mag. N. H. ser. 6. i. p. 322 (1888), and one by Mr. Boulenger in Proc. Zool. Soc. 1891, p. 305. |
