64 [April, 



A well marked depression exists upon the snout and upper part of the head. 

 There are thirteen or fourteen femoral pores in the specimen examined, but no 

 pores immediately in front of the anus. Three or four of these pores extend 

 beyond the thigh on each side about a line in front of the anus. The under sur- 

 face of the extremities is covered with small imbricated scales, which are very 

 minutely punctated with black. The under part of the fingers is provided with 

 a double row of imbricated scales divided by a median line. The upper surface of 

 the tail presents numerous scattered tubercles, the under surface transverse scuta, 

 somewhat indistinct. 



Coloration. Upper part and sides of head yellowish. Upper part of body 

 light chocolate color, with numerous minute points of black ; upper surface of 

 extremities of a lighter color than rest of body. Under part of body and extre- 

 mities light straw color. 



Dimensions Length of head eight lines ; greatest breadth five lines. Length 

 of body one inch and a half (Fr.) ; of tail two inches. 



Geographical distribution. \^ est coast of Africa. 



Remarks. This species differs from all the species of Hemidactylus described 

 by Dumeril and Bibron. It is well characterized by the angular plate at the 

 chin and the disposition of the rows of tubercles upon the back. 



AcONTiAS elegans. 

 Specific Characters. No inferior eyelid; two internasal plates, 

 pentagonal, articulating with the rostral; frontal heptagonal, broader 

 than long; an interparietal hexagonal, more extended transversely 

 than antero-posteriorly ; an occipital plate larger than either of the 

 others, hexagonal, its supero-external margin hollowed ; a parietal 

 plate, a fronto-parietal, one supra-ocular, two posterior-oculars; a fre- 

 nal, and a freno-orbitar much smaller than the frenal. 



Bescriftion. The head ot this animal is small, depressed, triangular in shape 

 above, rounded in front; the rostral plate encloses the extremity of the snout and 

 presents a slit on each side posteriorly, extending backward and inferiorly in a 

 curved direction to its posterior border; immediately above the rostral are two 

 internasal plates, pentagonal, their inferior margin articulating with the posterior 

 margin of the rostral ; the frontal, interparietal and occipital form a longitudinal 

 row nearly equal in size, upon the middle and upper part of the head. The in- 

 ternasal articulate with each other by their narrowest or internal margin, with 

 the frontal, the frenal and the first labial; the frontal with the internasal, the 

 interparietal, the freno-orbitar and the supra-ocular ; the interparietal with the 

 supra-ocular ; and the fronto-parietal with the frontal anteriorly and the occi- 

 pital posteriorly ; the occipital articulates in front with the interparietal, later- 

 ally on each side with the parietal and the fronto-parietal ; the parietal are oblong, 

 inequilateral, longer from behind forward than in the opposite direction ; the 

 fronto-parietal are hexagonal, larger than the parietal ; the supra-ocular are also 

 hexagonal; the frenal plate is quadrangular articulating with the internasal, the 

 frontal, the supra-ocular, the freno-orbitar and the first labial. The eyes are 

 distinct but without an eyelid. They are situated in an interspace formed by five 

 scales, and covered by a scale a very little larger than the eye; the inferior of 

 the five is the second supra-labial. Three plates margin the upper jaw on each 

 side ; there are three upon the lower ; the most anterior of the upper row is 

 quite large, presenting an acute angle forward and upward. The plate upon the 

 under jaw, immediately behind the mental, is long and narraw ; the nostrils are 

 small, oval, nearly a line apart: immediately behind the mental is a transversely 

 elongated triangular plate, the apex of the triangle presenting backward. Body 

 slender, flattened below ; tail long, covered at its extremity with minute trape- 

 zoidal scales ; body and tail covered with smooth imbricated scales above and 

 below: their posterior margin is convex, and they have a striated appearance, 

 each scale having from two to five whitish striae ; the striation on the under sur- 

 face ; is quite remarkable ; a single scale in front of the anus. There are twenty 

 longitudinal rows of scales around the body. Tongue oval, covered with nu- 

 merous small papilla-, slightly bifid at its extremity. Marginal teeth very 



