SPECIFIC CHARACTERS OF BRITISH LIZARDS 87 



Lastly, from this aspect, some smaller shields will 

 be found towards the front end of the snout. If 

 any separate the nasal shields from each other they 

 are called the inter-nasal, and those just behind the 

 nasals may be described as fronto-nasal (fn.) since 

 they are placed in the region between the frontal 

 and nasal shields. The single shield at the very 

 front of the snout is called the rostral (r.) or beak 

 shield ; it is more prominent from above in some 

 species than in others. 



This completes the terminology of the shields of the 

 vertex, and though the names at first sight appear 

 somewhat formidable, they are so descriptive that a 

 careful study of the arrangement as shown in the 

 diagram will make the matter quite clear. It remains 

 to describe the shields on the other two surfaces of the 

 head in a similar manner. 



2. The Lateral Aspect. 



The shields or scales at the side of the head are 

 those which are in relation to the nostrils, the eyes, 

 and the line of division between the upper and lower 

 halves of the mouth when closed, the labial region. 



The names of the shields or scales which must be 

 noted on this aspect are as follows : — 



(a) The nasal ; (h) the superior labials ; (c) 

 the inferior labials ; {d) the supra-ciliary ; (e) the 

 loreal ; (/) the pre-loreal ; {g) the infra-labials; 

 Qi) the rostral. 



