VARANUS. 163 



Synopsis of Indian, Ceylonese, and Burmese Species. 



A. Nostril an oblique slit (see fig. 50, A), nearer to 



orbit than to end of snout ; tail round or slightly 



compressed posteriorly V. griseus, p. 163. 



B. Nostril an oblique slit ; tail compressed, keeled 



above. 



a. Nostril a little nearer to end of snout than to 



orbit V.jlavescensfi>- 164. 



b. Nostril nearer to orbit than to end of snout. 



'. Ventral scales smooth ; supraoculars equal 



(see fig. 50, A) ; nostril much nearer to orbit [p. 164, 



than to end of snout V, bengalensis, 



b'. Ventral scales smooth ; median supraoculars 

 slightly enlarged transversely (as in fig. 50, 

 B) j nostril only a little nearer to orbit than 

 to end of snout V. nebulosus, p. 165. 



c'. Ventral scales keeled ; nuchal scales very- 

 large and flat V. dumerilii, p. 165. 



C. Nostril roundish or oval, nearer to end of snout 



than to orbit (see fig. 50, B) ; tail compressed, 



keeled above V. salvator, p. 166. 



182. Varanus griseus. 



Tupinambis griseus, Daud. Hept. viii, p. 352. 



Psammosaurus scincus, Jerdon, P. A. S. B. 1870, p. 70 ; Theob. Cat, 



p. 39. 

 Varanus ornatus (non Daud.), Carlleyle, J. A. 8. B. xxxviii, 1869, 



p. 192. 

 Varanus griseus, Bouleng. Cat. Liz. ii, p. 306. 



Teeth acute, compressed. Snout depressed at the end, as long as 

 the distance from anterior border of orbit to anterior border of 

 ear ; canthus rostralis distinct. Nostril an oblique slit, about 

 four times as distant from end of the snout as from orbit. Digits 

 rather short. Tail round or slightly compressed. Scales of head, 

 including supraoculars, very small, granular, subequal. Scales on 

 upper surface small, smooth or feebly keeled ; those on the sides of 

 the neck generally conical in adult specimens. Abdominal scales 

 smooth, in 110 to 125 transverse series (counted from collar-fold to 

 groin). Caudal scales more or less distinctly keeled ; no caudal 

 crest. Greyish yellow, sometimes with more or less distinct brown 

 cross bars on the back and tail and brown streaks along the sides 

 of the neck. Young with round yellow spots and dark brown cross 

 bars and temporal and cervical streaks ; a few brown lines across the 

 snout and short vertical brown lines on the lower lip. 



From snout to vent 1 foot 10 inches ; tail 2 feet 4 inches. 



Hob. Deserts of North -western India ; westwards, through 

 Southern Asia to the Caspian Sea and North Africa. 



