206 [December, 



On a New Genus and three New Species of Reptiles inhabiting North America. 



By Edward Hallowell, M. D. 



LAMPROSAURUS, Hallowell. 



Gen. Char. Head conical, pointed, rostral vertical, the supra-nasals on each 

 side contiguous ; internasal large ; nostrils between two nasal plates ; two 

 fronto-parietals ; tympanum depressed ; a few small scales in front of the ear ; 

 no gular fold; body and extremities slender; toes 5-5; scales smooth and 

 shining, similar upon back and abdomen, rounded posteriorly ; preanal scales 

 large ; no femoral pores ; no palatine or sphenoidal teeth ; body and extremities 

 slender. 



Lamprosaurus guttulatus. 



Sp. Char. Body and upper surface of extremities black ; a row of seven or 

 eight white spots along the margin of the upper jaw ; a row of white spots 

 along the inferior margin of the supra-orbitar plates, continuous with which 

 is a white spot upon the fronto-nasal, and another upon the parietal plates ; 

 the rest of the upper surface, sides and front part of the head, are jet black, 

 with the exception of a small white spot along the upper margin of the third 

 supra-orbitar, and one which is indistinct upon the freuo-nasal plate ; chin black ; 

 throat, abdomen and under surface of extremities iron grey, with a shining 

 lustre. Total length 2 inches 6 lines. 



Description. The head is elongated, conical and pointed, rounded above and 

 in front ; the rostral plate is vertical, pentangular, not grooved inferiorly, a little 

 larger, apparently, in the vertical direction than transversely ; there are two 

 nasal plates, with the nostril between them ; there are two supero-nasals, one on 

 each side, contiguous, rhomboidal ; the internasal is large, in contact laterally 

 with the supero-nasalandthe freno-nasal plate; in front with the supero-nasal, 

 posteriorly with the fronto-nasal; the fronto-nasal are pentagonal, larger than 

 the supero-nasal, their internal angle prolonged ; they are in contact anteriorly 

 with the inter-nasal and the freno-nasal ; laterally with the freno-orbitar and the 

 anterior supra-orbitar ; posteriorly with the frontal ; the frontal plate is long 

 and hexagonal, broader in front, excavated laterally; the fronto-parietal are 

 large and quadrilateral, larger than the fronto-nasal ; the inner-parietal is broad 

 and rather short, rounded posteriorly, the anterior angle passing in between the 

 fronto-parietals ; the parietals are large ; there are five supra-orbitar plates, the 

 third the largest ; there are seven superior labials on one side and eight on the 

 other, the last the largest; body and extremities slender; tail, according to Dr. 

 Hammond, nearly as long as the body (mutilated in the specimen ;) fourth toe 

 much longer than the third, and stouter ; third and fourth fingers of nearly equal 

 length ; body covered above with smooth imbricated scales, broad and rounded 

 posteriorly ; the scales upon the abdomen are similar to those upon the back ; 

 no femoral or anal pores ; chin, throat and extremities covered with smooth 

 imbricated scales. 



Color, Body and upper surface of extremities black ; a row of seven or eight 

 white spots along the margin of the upper jaw ; a row of white spots along the 

 superior margin of the supra-orbitar plates, continuous with which is a 

 white spot upon the fronto-nasal, and another upon the parietal ; the rest 

 of the upper surface, sides and front part of the head is jet black, with the 

 exception of a small white spot along the upper margin of the third supra- 

 orbitar, and one, which is indistinct, upon the freno-nasal; chin black; 

 throat, abdomen and under surface of extremities iron grey, with a shining 

 lustre. 



Dimensions. Length of head 4 lines ; greatest breadth 2\ lines ; length of 

 neck and body 1 inch ; of anterior extremity 7 lines; of posterior the same; 

 of tail about 1 inch 2 lines. 



Habitat. New Mexico, Fort Fillmore, below the Jornada del Muerte : found; 

 also, at El Paso : rare, Dr. Hammond having seen but two specimens. 



