UROMASTIX HARDWICKII. 155 



UROMASTIX, Merrem. 



Tympanum naked ; the upper parts covered with minute granuhir scales 

 of equal size ; tail depressed, surrounded by rings of spinous tubercles, not 

 extending on its lower side ; throat with a transverse fold ; no dorsal crest ; 

 ventral scales small, smooth. Femoral and praeanal pores. 



Only one species is knoA^Ti from India, the others belonging to the North-African fauna. 

 Inhabitants of rocky parts of plains. 



Ubomastix haedwickii. 



Uromastix hardwickii, Gray, Zool. Journ. iii. p. 219; Illustr. Ind. Zool. c. tab. 



reticulatus, Ctm. Begne Anim. 



Saara hardwickii, Gray, Lizards, p. 262. 



Head short, obtuse ; body and tail depressed ; legs stout. Snout covered above with small 

 shields, the remainder of the head being finely granular, with the exception of a few larger 

 tubercles between the orbit and the tympanum ; canthus rostralis indistinct, bent downwards 

 over the nostril ; labial shields very small, the hinder of the upper lip being triangular lobes ; 

 a series of larger scales along each side of the throat, separated from the lower labials by a 

 granular interspace. Nostril lateral ; eye rather small, eyelids scaly ; tympanum deeply sunk, 

 larger than the eye, ovate in the perpendicular dkection, frmged with small tubercles in 

 front. Skin of the throat very lax, folded. The tail is depressed, very thick anteriorly, 

 tapering behind, di\'ided into numerous rings, each with a transverse series of small spinous 

 shields ; the interspaces between these series are finely granular. The lower part of the tail 

 is smooth, covered with small scales, which are rather larger than those of the belly ; the 

 shields of the upper parts are visible also below, but they do not reach across the tail, and only 

 those on the hind part of the tail are keeled. The legs are stout, and armed with strong claws ; 

 the fore leg is covered with small smooth scales. Femur with smooth imbricate scales in 

 front, and with a few small tubercles above ; the lower hind leg with several conical tubercles 

 of unequal size. The hind leg does not extend on to the axil, if laid forwards. Toes rather 

 short, with keeled scales below ; the fourth hind toe is one-third longer than the third. A 

 series of eighteen pores extends from the end of the femur to the middle of the praeanal 

 region ; it is curved, and not continuous with that of the other side ; each pore is surrounded 

 by several small scales. 



Lighter or darker yellowish grey, or greyish olive, uniform, or clouded, or with waved 

 blackish transverse hues ; sometimes a large black spot on the inner side of the femur. 



This lizard inhabits the plains of Hindostan ; we have seen specimens from Kanouge, 

 from Kurrachee, and from Goojerat : it is not found in Bengal. It attains to a length of 

 13 inches, the tail measuring 5^ inches. 



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