The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...

396 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi.to the region—with such remarkable developments as we haveindicated in the kingfishers and pigeons, place the Australianregion in the first rank for the variety, singularity, and interestof its birds, and only second to South America as regardsnumbers and beauty.Reptiles.—In Eeptiles thepeculiarity of the main Australianregion is less marked, although the fauna is sufficiently distinct.There is no family of snakes confined to the region, but manyAboutpeculiar genera of the families Pythonidse and Elapidse.two-thirds of the Australian snakes belong to the latter family,and are poisonous ;so that although the Crotalidse and Viperidseare absent, there are perhaps a larger proportion of poisonousto harmless snakes than in any other part of the world.Accordingto Mr. Gerard Krefft the proportion varies considerably in thedifferent colonies.In Victoria, New South Wales, and Queenslandthe proportion is about two to one ; in West Australiathree to one ; and in South Australia six to one. In Tasmaniathere are only 3 species and all are poisonous. The numberof species, as in other parts of the world, seems to increase*with temperature. The 3 in Tasmania have increased to 12in Victoria, 15 in South Australia and the same in WestAustralia ; 31 in New South Wales, and 42 in sub-tropicalQueensland.The lizards of Australia have lately been catalogued by Dr.Gtinther in the concluding part of the " Voyage of the Erebusand Terror," issued in 1875. They belong to 8 families, 3 ofwhich are peculiar ; 57 genera of which 36 are peculiar ; andabout 140 species, all but 2 or 3 of which are peculiar. Thescinks and geckoes form the great bulk of the Australianlizards, with a few Agamidae,The three peculiar families are theGymnopthalmidfe, and Varanidse.Pygopodidse, Aprasiidse andLialidae; comprising only 4 genera and 7 species. The aboveall belong to Australia proper. Those of the other sub-regionsare few in number and will be noticed under their, respectivelocalities.They will perhaps bring up the number of genera to70. West and South Australia seem to offer much peculiarityin their lizards; these districts possessing 12 peculiar genera,