SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNT OF THE SPECIES. 



1. Sphaerodactylus decoratus Garman. 



Plate 1, fig. 1; Plate 10, fig. 1-4. 



Sphaerodactylus decoratus Garman, Bull. Es.sex inst., 1888, 20, p. 111. 

 Sphaerodactylus fiai'icaudus Barbour, Bull. M. C. Z., 1904, 46, p. 56.' 



Type-locality: — Rum Cay, Bahamas. 



Type: — M. C. Z. 6,220; a single young specimen, now somewhat dried, 

 C. J. Maynard. 



Distribution: — Probably widespread in the Bahamas, for it is known from 

 Mangrove Cay, Andros Island and New Providence Island, in addition to the 

 type-locality. 



Diagnosis: — Slender, medium sized, with small granular dorsals about 

 seventeen equalling distance of tip of snout from centre of eye; on the sides 

 these are enlarged and show a tendency to become keeled but they do not imbri- 

 cate; upper head-scales very small; four large supralabials bordered above by 

 about fourteen small scales of the basal loreal row. 



Description: — M. C. Z. 13,564. Bahamas: Andros Island. Head narrow, 

 snout acute; the distance from tip of snout to eye being about twice, or a little 

 less, the diameter of the eye; rostral large with a median cleft; nostril between 

 rostral, first upper labial, a large supranasal and two scales one distinctly en- 

 larged; supranasals separated by one tiny scale adjoining the rostral; four 

 large supralabials followed by a small labial below centre of the eye; the usual 

 superciliary spine present but small and ill-developed ; top of head covered with 

 tiny rounded granular scales, sUghtly larger and flatter on the snout and loreal 

 region; back with tiny granules hardly larger than those in the head about 

 seventeen or eighteen equalling the distance of tip of snout from the centre of the 

 eye ; the lateral granules are somewhat enlarged but generally similar in charac- 

 ter; scales of limbs very small except those on anterior face of thigh which are 

 round and slightly imbricating; scales of throat very small those of postmental 

 region much enlarged; scales of tail round, in whorls, imbricating; an enlarged 

 subcaudal series; mental large followed by two scales. 



Colour: — Male. Pale cream, the skin showing darker between the scales 



' Tj-pes: — 1\I. C. Z. 6,953. Bahamas: Andros Island, Mangrove Cay. 1-7 August, 1904. Owen 

 Bryant. 19 Cotypes. 



