Malayan Peninsula and Islands. 27 



Pinang,) but no authenticated record exists of this species ever having 

 been observed in Bengal. Another, widely different species of Gymno- 

 dactylm inhabits Bengal, as yet not published, and only known from 

 three specimens, preserved in spirits in the Museum of the Asiatic 

 Society, where they are marked Gynmodactylus lunatus, Blyth. One 

 of these came from Midnapore, the others from Chyebassa. The spe- 

 cies somewhat approaches to G. fasciatus, Dum. and Bibr. (Gubina 

 fasciata, Gray.) The Museum possesses another nondescript species 

 from Almorah, Gynmodactylus nebulosus, Blyth, MSS. allied to G. 

 marmoratus, (Gray). 



The plate of Cyrtodactylus pulchellus in Gray's Illustrations ol 

 Indian Zoology is not taken from life, and gives a most inadequate idea 

 of the physiognomy and beauty of the living animal. This should be 

 observed, as M. M. Dumeril and Bibron praise the figure, which evi- 

 dently has served as original of their own description, and of copies 

 introduced in illustrative works upon that order of animals. 



FAM. VARANIM, Bonaparte, (PLATYNOTES, Dum. and Bibr.) 



Gen. Varantjs, — Merrem. 



Scales set side by side, surrounded by an annular scries of very 

 minute tubercles ; tail above more or less trenchant ; on the throat a 

 fold in front of the chest. 



Varani aquatici, — Dum. and Bibr. 

 Varantjs nebulosus, — Dumeril and Bibron. 



Syn. — Tupinambis nebulosus, Cuvier MSS. 

 Monitor nebulosus, Gray. 

 Monitor nebulatus, Schlegel. 

 Uaranus nebulosus, apud Gray : Catal. 



Muzzle very elongated ; nostrils obliquely cleft, situated half-ways 

 between the muzzle and the anterior angle of the eye; lips each with 

 jO scales ; teeth compressed with sharp but not dentilated edges. 



Young. — Above. Ground-colour deep chocolate brown ; the head largely 

 marbled with greenish yellow ; neck with indistinct obliquely converging 

 gamboge lines ; back, sides and limbs with gamboge spots, consisting 

 of one to five scales, (those of the upper margins of the fingers forming 

 continued lines ;) sides of the anterior half of the tail, similarly colour- 

 ed ; the double row of scales covering the back of (he tail gamboge; 



