OCR Text |
Show 1895.] BATRACHIANS FROM ADEN. 637 (Opisthoglypha.) 21. Psammophis lacrymans, Reuss. Shaikh Othman; Haithalhim; Lahej. 22. Ccelopeltis moilensis, Reuss. Aden, sands outside isthmus. 23. Tarbophis guentheri, n. sp. Muscat; The Hadramaut (Bent Expedition); Lahej. VIPERIDEE. 24. Echis carinata, Schneider. Aden (Boettger); Lahej. BATRACHIA. RANIDEE. 1. Rana cyanophlydis, Schneider. Lahej (Matschie); Haithalhim. BUFONIDEE. 2. Bufo pentoni, Anderson. Lahej; Haithalhim. 3. andersoni, Boulenger. Lahej. ? Bufo arabicus, Riipp. Aden (Matschie). The foregoing list is doubtless very imperfect, and it will be observed that it does not contain a single Chelonian, either from the land or water, and no marine snakes. Every section of the fauna of Aden is of extreme interest owing to the geographical position of the locality and its proximity to the African coast. The question whether any sea-snakes are found on the coast is one well worthy of the attention of any resident at Aden interested in the geographical distribution of animals. Sir Lambert Playfair informs m e that he has never heard of them at Aden or anywhere in the Eed Sea, but that he has seen them off the coast of Arabia, when going from Zanzibar to Bombay. Tbey are unknown at the former locality. Colonel Yerbury says he has never met with a sea-snake at Aden, and that he does not believe that they exist there, or he would certainly have met with them when he was collecting marine shells and seining. Sea-snakes are common at Muscat, indeed they occur there rather in profusion. To what cause is their apparent absence at Aden to be attributed ? If not entirely absent from the Aden sea they must be extremely rare, as many good observers have visited both sides of the Gulf and not a single instance of their occurrence has been recorded in zoological literature. LACEETILIA. 1. CERAMODACTYLUS DORIEE, Blanford. Ceramodactylus dorice, Blanford, Ann. & Mag. N . H . (4) xiii. 1874, p. 454. lo*. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species at or |