Author: George E. Beyer

Publisher:

Published: 2015-08-04

Total Pages: 76

ISBN-13: 9781332152964

Excerpt from Louisiana Herpetology: With a Checklist of the Batrachians and Reptiles of the State and the Avifauna of Louisiana, With an Annotated List of the Birds of the State The entire reptilian fauna of the State may be said to be represented by about 114 species, belonging to 56 genera; representing 25 families in 8 orders. It is possible, however, that this list may be considerably augmented by species which are, so far, supposed to be confined to the Florida and Texas districts. In general, the enumeration may be accepted as adequately correct, for the species of this class are, more or less, confined to their native localities, as migration, in the stricter acceptation of the term, can scarcely be ascribed to any reptile. Aquatic forms may gain considerable distribution by means of their clement, but beyond that they would encounter obstacles over which wings only could transport them. On the other hand, terrestrial forms would be even more effectually checked in their attempts to extend their original habitat. It is true, however, that a certain species may occur in localities which are separated by apparently insurmountable obstacles, and we can only account for such an instance by the supposition that at one time or other such barriers did not exist. Certain localities of our state are marked either by an entire absence, or a greater abundance of forms. The southern section presents marked features in this respect in aquatic types of Ophidians. Here, also, the alligators are present in greater numbers, while the Testudinata, in general, are almost entirely confined to Southern Louisiana. The hilly parts, the pine-flats and pine hills have each their peculiar representatives. The majority of the Lacertilia, the only Pro-teroglyph, as well as all Solenoglyph snakes, with one exception, are found in far the greater number in upper Louisiana. Isolated and prominent in these respects stands A very Island [Petit Ause] as a kind of haven for almost the entire reptile world of the state. Surrounded by immense tracts of marshes and swamps, in themselves a congenial habitat for the more or less aquatic types, this hilly, forest-covered island harbors almost all the more terrestrial forms. In fact, this comparatively small area is an ideal paradise for the ornithologist as well as the herpotologist. Comparing the natural topography of upper Louisiana and its identic forms, with this small island on the extreme southwestern coast, and considering [for some reptiles] the almost insurmountable regions which intervene, we have an illustration of such a distribution, which we can only explain by a formerly non-existing separation of the two localities. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.