the European border into
Russia. It interbreeds in Siberia with _C. caniceps_, an East Siberian
form.

A few instances of Reptiles and Amphibia with a similar range will show
that the Oriental migration was not confined to the higher vertebrates.

Two species of the genus _Eremias_ (_Podarcis_) occur in South-eastern
Europe. This is a genus of Lizards with rather a wide distribution,
ranging from Central Asia to South Africa southward and China eastward.
Altogether there are twenty-four species, two of which just enter
Europe; and of the rest half are Asiatic and half African. Even if the
genus were of African origin, it is extremely unlikely that the Asiatic
species came by way of Europe. We may assume, therefore, with a fair
degree of probability that the two European species wandered westward
along with the Oriental migrants.

The genus _Ablepharus_ belongs to a family of Lizards in which the legs
are either very fully developed, or quite absent as in the Slow-worm
(_Anguis fragilis_). It is an ancient genus, having a wide range from
Central Asia to Australia on the one hand, and to South Africa on the
other. One species of this Scink-like Lizard, viz., _Ablepharus
pannonicus_, enters Europe in the south-east, inhabiting Greece as far
north as Southern Hungary. In Asia it is found in Syria and North
Arabia. This clearly signifies that the Lizard is an Oriental migrant.

Among the Snakes which participated in the Oriental migration might be
mentioned _Eryx jaculus_, whose home is probably in Western Asia. It is
known in Europe from the Greek islands of Tinos and Naxos, from Turkey
and Southern Russia. Another, a peculiar worm-like form, lives
underground in damp earth and under stones--_Typhlops lumbricalis_. This
species inhabits the mainland of Greece as well as the Greek islands,
and Asia Minor as far as the Caucasus.

A most interesting case of distribution is that of the pretty little
Toad so well known on the Continent under the name of "fire-toad"
(_Bombinator igneus_). Though some authorities, such as Boulenger,
recognise only one form of _Bombinator_,[1] others are of opinion that
two well-marked varieties exist in Europe. These are looked upon by Dr.
von Bedriaga as good species, but he acknowledges that they are rather
critical and difficult to identify. No other species of _Bombinator_
occur in Europe. _Bombinator pachypus_, the western race,--or if we
choose to call it species,--occurs in France, Ge