20 REFTILIA. 



while on the breast which reaches obliquely over the shoulder. 



Specimens have been found three feet in length. (1) 

 In the other group of the Monitors, there are angular plates on 

 the head, and large rectangular scales on the belly and round the 

 tail. The skin of the throat, covered with small scales, is doubled 

 into two transverse folds. There is a row of pores on the under 

 part of their thighs. (2) This group is also susceptible of subdivi- 

 sions: the first forms the genus 



Crocodilurus, Spix,(3) 



Whose distinguishing character consists in scales relieved by 

 ridges, as in the Crocodiles, forming crests on the tail, which is com- 

 pressed. 



Mon. crocodilimis, Merr. ;Z Grande Dragonne, L.s.cGp. Quadr. 

 Ovip. pi. ix, has ridged scales scattered also along the back. 

 Its back teeth become rounded with age. It attains a length of 

 six feet, and lives in burrows near marshes. Found in Guiana, 

 where its flesh is eaten. 



Lac.bicarinata, L.; Le Lezardet, Daud.; Crocodilurus mnazon- 

 icus, Spix, pi. xxi, is smaller, and has none of the aforesaid 

 kind of scales on the back. It is found in several parts of South 

 America. In the second, or 



Sauvegardes, Cuv. Teius, Merr. 



None of the scales of the back and tail carinate: the teeth are 

 notched, but with age the back ones also become rounded.(4) 



(1) With this species, from the distribution of colours, are connected the T. 

 bigare, Uaud. {Lac. varia, Shaw, Nat. Misc. 83, J. White, 253); a neighbouring 

 species of Manilla (M marmoratus, C): the T. elegant and the T. etoile, Daud. 

 Ill, xxxi, and Seb., I, xcxiv, 1, 2, 3, xcxviii, xcix, 2; II, xxx, 2, xc, cv, 1, &c. all 

 of which are but one species, originally from Africa. We must add the T. cepedien, 

 Daud. Ill, xxiv, or Lac. exunthematica, Bosc, Act. Soc. Nat. Par.pl. v, f. 3, 

 ocellated throughout; the M. dotted with brown of Bengal [M. lengalensis. 

 Daub.); the black M. spotted with green of the Moluccas {M. indicus, Daud.); a 

 species of a uniform black from Java, M. nigricans, Cuv., &c. 



All things considered, I have now reason to believe that the fig. of Seba, I, pi. 

 ci, f. 1, of which Linnjeus made his Lacerta dracaetia, but which is very different 

 from the Dragonne of Lacep. , is the M. bengalensis. Seba's original is in the 

 Museum. 



To these species with a compressed tail, M. Fitzinger applies the generic name 



ofTuPIKAMBIS. 



(2) Merrem has made his genus Teius from this second group. 



(3) M. Gray has changed this name into Ada. 



(4) It is to such that M. Fitzinger particularly applies the name of Monitor. 



