42 TROPIDONOTUS SIRTALIS. 



plates, of which the anterior is largest and semilunated, the posterior is penta- 

 gonal; behind this is a loral plate, connected above to the frontal, and posteriorly 

 to the anterior orbital, which is very large and oblong, ascending up between the 

 superior orbital and the frontal plates. There are three small posterior orbital, 

 irregularly quadrilateral, and nearly of the same size; the upper one passes in 

 between the superior orbital and the occipital plates; the inferior border of the 

 orbit is made up of the third and fourth labial, of which plates there are seven 

 on each side, quadrilateral and large, the fourth and fifth largest; there are two 

 temporal plates, the anterior larger. 



The nostrils are lateral and large. The eyes are large, the pupil black; the iris 

 yellowish-grey. The neck is contracted. 



The body is long, but tolerably robust, covered with strongly hexagonal 

 carinated scales above and with broad plates below. The tail is long, thick at 

 the root, but soon becomes round, and terminates in a point. 



Colour. The head above is dusky, with a tinge of olive; each occipital plate 

 being marked with a minute yellow spot; the upper lip is greenish-straw colour, 

 and marked with a dark line at the junction of the labial plates. 



The body and tail above is dusky, with a tinge of olive, lighter on the sides, 

 Avith three longitudinal lines of pale yellow; the vertebral begins at the distance of 

 three or four scales from the occipital plates, and terminates about midway on the 

 tail, and includes one whole scale, and the half of the two adjoining scales on 

 each side; the lateral lines begin behind the temples, and are smaller, including 

 the half of two adjoining scales only; between the vertebral and lateral lines are 

 numerous small, quadrate, black spots, disposed in longitudinal series, the spots of 

 the different series alternating with each other, and when the scales are separated 

 white specks appear between them; beneath the lateral lines the colour is paler. 



The abdomen is pale straw colour, with a tinge of green; and each plate is 



