VARANUS DRAaENA. 65 



Varanus flavescens. The Short-toed Water Lizard. (Plate IX. figs. A, A'.) 



Monitor flavescens, Gray, Illustr. Ltd. Zool. c. tab. 



Varanus piquotii, Dum. ^- Bibr. Erpet. gen. iii. p. 485. pi. 35^. fig. 5 (scales). 



Empagusia flavescens, Gray, Lizards, p. 9. 



Varanus flavescens, Cantor, Mai. Rept. p. 28. 



The toes of this species are, comparatively, shorter than in its congeners. The nostril is an 

 oblique slit, situated entirely before the middle of the length of the snout, although not 

 on its extremity. The teeth are of moderate size, subcorneal, scarcely compressed, and not 

 denticulated. Superciliary scales of unequal size, the outer being rather smaller than the 

 inner. Scales of the upper parts strongly keeled, those of the belly smooth, in 70 trans- 

 verse series between the gular fold and the loin. Greenish- or brownish-olive, with irregular 

 dai'k markings, which are, generally, confluent into broad cross bars on the back and tail ; 

 throat with irregular dark transverse bands. In young specimens the dark colour is pre- 

 dominant on the upper parts, the body and tail being crossed by numerous irregular yellow 

 bands. 



This species attains to a length of from 3 to 4 feet, the tail being longer than the body. It 

 has been found in Nepal (by Mr. Hodgson), in Bengal, at Pinang, and in the Indus Territories. 

 On Plate IX. we have figured the head (fig. A), and the fore foot (fig. A'), to show the 

 position of the nostril and the short toes. 



Vakanus dkac^na. The Common Indian Water Lizard. (Plate IX. figs. B, B', B''.) 



? Lacerta dracsena, L. Syst. Nat. i. p. 360. 



Lacerta dracsena, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 218. pi. 67. 



Tupinambis bengalensis, Daud. Hist. Kept. iii. p. 67. 



Varanus guttatus, Merr. Amph. p. 58. Less, in Belang. Voy. Lid. Orient., Rept. p. 308. 



punctatus, Merr. Amph. p. 59. Less. I. c. p. 309. 



Monitor heraldicus, Gray, in Griff. An. Kingd. ix. p. 25. 



bengalensis, Gray, I. c. p. 26. 



Varanus bengalensis, Dum. ^ Bibr. Erpet. gen. iii. p. 480. 



lieraldicus. Gray, Catal, Liz. p. 9. 



Monitor dracsena, Gray, ^. c. p. 11. 



Varanus bibroni, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xi. p. 869, and in Kelaart, Prodr. Faun. Ceyl. App. 

 p. 46. 



The toes of this and of the following species are of moderate length, and armed with strong 

 claws. The nostril is an oblique slit, situated in the middle of the length of the snout. The 

 teeth are stout, subcorneal, and not denticulated. Superciliary scales small, without a series 

 of larger ones. Scales of the neck and back without keels, only a little raised in the middle ; 

 those of the belly smooth, in 90 transverse series between the gular fold and the loin. 

 Brownish olive, uniform or generally with more or less numerous black dots, each of which 

 occupies a scale ; these dots are sometimes arranged in irregular transverse series, and are 

 most numerous on the throat. Young specimens show numerous small white ocelli edged 



K 



