In certain abnormal, sexually poisoned individuals among the human race it is well known pleasure is derived from flagellation. There is but one instance known to me where this obtains as a normal accompaniment of desire among the lower animals, and this occurs in one of the Painted Terrapins (_Chrysemys picta_), whose finger-nails are produced into long, whip-like ends. I had the good fortune to witness their use one day when in the Reptile House at the Zoological Gardens in London. The unusual activity of a male of this species was the first thing to attract attention to his movements. Watched more closely, he was found to be dodging a female and making frantic efforts to swim round so as to oppose her path. This done, he closed up and immediately commenced to apply the bastinado to her head. The movements were so rapid that nothing more than a blurred image of these strange whips was visible. As soon as she escaped his attentions, he set about circumventing her again, and again succeeded: and this most extraordinary performance was repeated many times during my watch. Turning to the Amphibia, the descendants of that stock which must be regarded as the ancestors of the Reptiles, the version of the sexual rôle which is adopted in these pages, that “Sexual Selection” in the older, Darwinian sense, does not exist, finds further support. Among the tailless Batrachians—the Frogs and their kind—there is no “display” immediately preceding the act of pairing. The males seize upon the females and hold them in a close embrace which lasts for a very prolonged period, covering many days or even weeks, until the extrusion of the eggs, which he impregnates by successive emissions of the fertilizing element. What controls the orgasm no one has yet succeeded in discovering, but this is an important point, for it is essential that the seminal fluid should not be emitted until the moment the eggs are set free. The pairing act is here purely instinctive, as is shown by the fact that if a Frog in embrace be removed and replaced on some inanimate body, this will be treated as though it were a female. With the tailed Batrachians—the Newts and Salamanders—the male commonly executes a very animated display which is followed by behaviour of a quite remarkable character. The display, which is always associated with vivid coloration, or the development of fin-like frills along the back, takes the form of amorous writhings and other gesticulations. At times he will hit his mate with his snout, and at others he will simply rub sides with her, as if to entice her to respond to his advances. These evolutions may be followed by an amplexus, an embrace. In some species, however, these performances are followed by behaviour which leaves one gasping with astonishment.