OTOCRTPTIS. 



115 



is more developed in the breeding-season, and in the majority of 

 individnals, at all events, is not coloured at other times. 



Prom snout to vent 3-2 inches ; tail 4'6. 



Hah. India from the base of the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, 

 and from the Punjab and Cutch (not Sind) to Western Bengal ; 

 Ceylon, 



Mr. Blanford, who lias observed thousands of specimens, confirms 

 Jerdon's statement that Sitana is purely a ground-lizard ; it is 

 found in open country as well as in woods. 



No dorsal crest. 



Genus OTOCRYPTIS, 



Wiegmann, Isis, 1831, p. 293. 



Body compressed, limbs very long. Fifth toe very short, not 

 longfei' than first. All the scales keeled, the dorsals heterogeneous. 

 No gular fold. Male with a low nuchal crest 

 and a large folding gular appendage ex- 

 tending backwards to the belly, and 

 covered with large scales. Ear concealed. 

 No praeanal or femoral pores. 



Distrihutioa. Ceylon, Southern India. 

 Two species. 



This genus, as regards the structure of 

 the foot, is intermediate between Sitana, 

 in which the fifth toe is absent, and 

 Pt)/dolcemus, in which it is much elongate, 

 as shown in figures 37, 38, and 39. In 

 spite of its hidden tympanum, Otocryptis is, on the whole, more 

 nearly allied to Sitana tliau to Ptyctolcemus. 



Fig. 38. 

 Foot of Otocryptis beddomii 



Synopsis of the Species. 



No pit at side of neck . 

 A pit at sido of ueck . 



O. bivittata, p. 115. 

 O. beddomii, p. IIG. 



119. Otocryptis bivittata. 



Otocrvptis bivittata, Wierpn. Isis, 1831, p. 293; Gilntk. Rept. B, 1. 

 p. 127 ; Theob. Cat. p. 98 ; Botdejig. Cat. Liz. i, p. 271. 



Upper liead-scales sharply keeled ; canthus rostralis and supra- 

 ciliary edge sharp, with much eidarged scales ; supi-aorbital scales 

 large, the inner series forming, with some enlarged scales on the 

 snout, a regular /\ -shaped figure ; iuterorbital region with four or 

 five longitudinal series of very small scales ; 9 to 11 upper and as 

 many lower labials. Dorsal scales unequal, the enlarged ones 

 sometimes forming regular longitudinal series ; lateral scales small, 



i2 



