Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 16. (Budapest 1918)
Fejérváry, G.J.: Contributions to a Monography on fossil Varanidae and on Megalanidae 16
therefore neither be regarded as an obstacle from the biological point of view. Finally setting these questions aside, and taking into account the length of time alone, this in itself can nowise furnish any biological reason for proving against a specific agreement of the two forms mentioned ; specific identity, under these circumstances, merely implies a t y p e persisting to a certain degree, so that during the ages mentioned, — taking an identity of species for granted — it must have borne an epistatical character, as in general forms of slighter sensibility incline to epistasis under conditions not particularly affecting their mode of life. This phenomenon is so frequently met with in palaeontology that examples appear superfluous. I shall merely refer toBanaesculenta L. existing from the Pliocene unto this day, hence also persisting during two geological periods. The Indian genus Oxyglossus may also be mentioned as having appeared as early as the Eocene, although yet subsisting. We may therefore conclude that palaeobiological statements do not contain any such facts as would induce to the belief of an identity of the two forms in question being biologically unlikely. However since I was not able to found the morphological data gathered until no w — to the proof of an agreement — on facts absolutely certain in every respect , and also reckoning with the possibility of no compelling biological reason subsisting for contesting a specific separation of the two treated forms — just as none existed to refute the possibility of an identity of them — not wishing to burden the system with eventually unnecessary or inaccurate synonyms, although having pointed to another possibility, I shall provisionally comply with the «status quo», leaving t ht; question open to further investigation. Definite elucidation in the matter would at all events be most desirable as the palaeontological system ought to be liberated as soon as possible from the superfluous and unnatural ballast encountered for example also amongst fossil Lacertilia, where systematical denominations no more correspond to their original meaning or conception, and as XOPCSA very rightly expresses it — just in connexion wáth V. marathonensis (= V. atticus) — «...bei einer überaus großen Anzahl fossiler Lacerten 1 der spezifische Name nichts anderes bedeutet als ein Zeichen resp. eine Nummer, wodurch das betreffende Stück leichter aufzufinden ist . . it were urgent to contend most energetically, although with due precaution and exactitude, against the signs of this degeneracy in system, as further proce1 The denomination of «La cert iiier» would be mon» »orrect.
