1. The ostrich industry in South Africa (and elsewhere) experiences a high rate of embryo mortality during artificial incubation of eggs. Most of this mortality takes place in the last l0-l4 d of incubation. 2. We carried out post-mortem examinations on 111 embryos that died within this period to assess the causes of this mortality. 3. Malpositioning and severe oedema were the predominant symptoms of dead-in shell embryos with 55% being malpositioned and 41% showing severe oedema. Of these, 22 embryos (24%) showed both symptoms. Malpositioning generally results from incorrect setting of the eggs or inadequate turning and oedema was significantly correlated with the amount of water lost from the eggs which in turn was correlated with egg size. 4. Myopathy, gross lesions of internal organs, haemorrhage, bacterial infections and congenital deformities were found in less than 10% of chicks examined for these symptoms.
greatly enriched by the receipt of its share of the splendid material resulting from the Vernay-Lang Kalahari Expedition. The herpetological results of this expedition have been reported upon elsewhere by Mr. V. Fitzsimons of the Transvaal Museum (Ann. Transvaal Mus., 15, pp. 25-40 and pp. 519-550, 1932 and 1935). My thanks are due to Mr. Karl P. Schmidt, curator of the herpetological collections in Field Museum, for his unfailing kindness and helpfulness in answering questions, comparing material, and otherwise aiding the production and publication of the report.
SUMMARY OF TAXONOMIC CHANGESOnly two papers dealing with the African herpetological collections of Field Museum have appeared so far. Both were by the late S. E. Meek (Field Mus., Zool. Ser., 1, pp. 175-184, 1897; ibid, 7, pp. 403-414, 1910), and it should be borne in mind that at the time they were written Dr. Meek was dependent on the literature, with no comparative material available. Even so, their appearance was unfortunate, more particularly the first, in which every lizard was misidentified and all the '"'new'"' forms were synonyms of well-known species. The most useful purpose this earlier publication can serve 1936 AFRICAN REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS-LOVERIDGE ral struck at the file snake and ruptured its gullet so that the head and forepart of the night adder protruded. Nine inches had already been swallowed, the total length of the prey being twenty-one inches.The specimen was taken to Dr. Nunan who later (1919) presented it to the Nairobi Museum where it now is.Pseudaspis cana (Linnaeus).
Neusterophis variegatus should be substituted for NatHx fuliginoidesŵ hose admission was based on a misidentification, and Agama a. africana (Hallowell) substituted for A. a. savatieH Kochebrune. Certain other species should be regarded as synonyms, viz :
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