46 



swollen, formed by three nasals (an upper, lower, and poste- 

 rior), the latter small, and sometimes excluded from the nostril 

 by the apposition of the other two at their inner points. Fronto- 

 nasal grooved, considerably broader than long, shut off from the 

 rostral by the nasals; two prsefrontals, grooved in the mesial 

 line ; frontal deeply grooved longitudinally, rather narrow, its 

 length equals the distance between its anterior border and the 

 free margin of the rostral ; anterior supraocular broken up ; the 

 second and third separated from the superciliaries by a line of 

 granules ; the fourth supraocular small, or broken up into small 

 pieces with granules external to it ; frontonasal pentagonal ; 

 interparietal quadrately oval, slightly smaller than a single fronto- 

 parietal ; a small plate behind the interparietal, in contact with, 

 or not in contact with, the interparietal and occipital, but some- 

 times wholly absent; the occipital is occasionally absent; two 

 loreals, the first long and narrow ; ocular dissk more or less 

 broken up ; temporals granular, minute, and smootli ; a line of 

 elongated scales along the parietal^. From 4 to 6 labials before 

 the interocular; infraocular in the labial margin, but occasionally 

 excluded by portions separated off from itself. Ear with an 

 enlarged curved scale at its upper border. Body-scales granular, 

 smooth, but more or less feebly keeled on the loins, as they 

 approach the caudal scales, or they may be smooth throughout. 

 30 to 45 scales round the middle of the body ; scales on the u|)per 

 surface of the tail sti'ongly keeled, those of the under surface 

 smooth, or feebly, obtusely keeled ; small scales, and large plates 

 of the limbs, smooth. 10 or 12 rows of ventral plates, depending 

 on the degree of development of the two outer rows ; 28 to 33 

 in a longitudinal line from the collar to the femoral pores ; the 

 two median rows slightly broader than long. 11 to 15 femoral 

 pores ; an enlarged praeanal with a semicircle of enlarged scales. 

 Limbs and digits slender ; the fore limb, when laid forwards, 

 reaches to between the eye and the nostril, and the hind limb 

 to between the shoulder and the ear. Tail variable, generally 

 more than twice as long as the body and head, but sometimes 

 shorter, tapered to a very fine point. 



Fawn-coloured above, or pale yellowish, or greyish brown ; a 

 broadish brown lateral band from hehind the eye, more or less pale- 

 spotted, with indications of three longitudinal dorsal lines of 

 small quadrangular, sometimes rather obscure brown spots, with 



