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(the anterior one being small), and separated from the orbital 

 margin by small scales. Two pairs of occipitals enclosing a very- 

 minute median one. Chin shields five pairs, the three first being 

 contiguous. Scales on the back strongly keeled, imbricate, in 

 thirteen longitudinal rows ; on the neck very small. Ventrals 

 smooth, square in twelve longitudinal rows. Femoral pores 

 twenty on each thigh. Colour greenish olive above, with reticu- 

 lated dark lines; below whitish. Length seven inches, of which 

 the tail is nearly two-thirds. 



Inhabits the outer hills bordering the Punjab. 



A. Nilgherrensis, Jerdon. J. A. S., 1853, p. 476, is probably 

 a Cape species according to Jerdon himself, — P. A. S., B., 

 March 1870, p. 79. 



Mesalina, Gray. 



Nostril on the ridge between three swollen shields, the lower 

 and anterior moderate, hinder upper, small, triangular. Collar 

 indistinct, sub-angular, attached in the middle, free on the side. 

 No fold under the ears. Toes five on all feet. Prseanal single, with 

 one or two series of small scales round it. Scales of the back 

 rhombic or circular, not imbricate, of the belly smooth, contracted 

 behind, arranged in oblique rows. 



M. brevirostris, Blanford. Ann. and Mag., N. H., 1874. 



Closely resembles _par(i(xZ is, but the ventral shields are in 12 not 

 10 rows. Head short and his-h. 

 Inhabits the Indus valley near Kalabagh. 



M. Watsonana, Stol. P. A. S., B., 1872, p. 86. 



Prsefrontal single, hexagonal. Postfrontals form a short suture. 

 Superciliaries two on each side, margined externally by granular 

 scales and parted from the postfrontals by a small triangular 

 shield. Five occipitals, the anterior being pentagonal, the poste- 

 rior triangular and separated by a small shield. Two loreals 

 the first very narrow, the last larger, triangular. 9-10 upper 

 labials, the fifth and sixth largest and beneath the orbit. 7-9 

 lower labials, the fifth or sixth largest and followed by much 



