Zoology.-] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. [Reptiles. 



Colour: Above g-reyish-olive, fading- to g-reyish-wliite below; top of head dark- 

 brown; two or three scales wide of middle of back and tail plain; on each side, 

 three narrow white lines, with dark-brown bands of transverse spots between 

 them, forming- three or four longitudinal lines of narrow lig'ht, and dark broad, 

 stripes on each side, running straight from head, longitudinally, as far as twelve 

 scales beyond the vent, where they turn abruptly, obliquely upwards and backwards 

 in accord with the change of direction at this point of the lateral caudal scales. 

 Measureinents : Snout to base of tail, 3 in.; tail, 6 in.; diameter of body at middle, 

 3 lines; length of leg-flap, 1^ lines ; snout to ear, 4 lines; snout to eye, \\ lines. 



Reference. — Archiv. fiir Naturgeschicte 1882, p. 287. 



This genus differs from Delma in the more simply plated head, 

 arising from only one pair, instead of two pairs, of large plates 

 intervening between the nasals and iuter-nasal or pre-frontal ; 

 and, further, by the singular, oblique direction of the lateral rows 

 of scales on the sides of the tail. The instability of the median 

 dorsal row of scales, which I have noted, is a curious character, 

 giving in some parts an odd number of rows of body scales, and, 

 in the other adjacent parts, an even nvimber. Fischer's figure in 

 the Archiv. fiir Naturgeschicte, of the natural size, is very inexact, 

 and, especially, the leg-flap's are represented as far too long. He 

 is also certainly in error in supposing the teeth to be absent, as 

 I find they are very numerous and blunt, but, of course, very 

 minute and not easy to see. 



Not very uncommon near Melbourne. 



The specimen figured was presented by D. Kei'shaw, who found 

 it under stones, near junction of Yarra and Merri Creek. 



Explanation of Figubes. 



Plate 162. — Fig. 2, aver.age specimen, natural size. Fig. 'la, under side of head and neck, 

 magnified three diameters, showing large labials, small throat scales, and suddenly enlarging 

 two rows of scales of belly. Fig. 26, side view of head and necli, enlarged thi'ee times, showing 

 characteristic plates. Fig. 2c, top of head and neck, magnified three diameters, sliowing head 

 plates, and tlie median dorsal row of scales following occipital scale, tlien absent, then re- 

 appearing for three scales, and then being absent for hinder portion as far as figured. Fig. 2(/, 

 front view of snout, magnified tliree diameters, sliowing form of rostral and mental plates. 

 Fig. 2f. three preanal scales and minute leg-flaps, natural size, from below. Fig. 2/", side view 

 of leg-flap and adjacent scales, magnified three diameters. Fig. 2.(/. leg-flap, magnified. Fig. 2/t, 

 under side of last abdominal, enlarged preanal scales and sub-caudal scales, magnified three 

 diameters. Fig. 2i, upper side of middle of back. Fig. 2,1', side view of anterior part of tail, 

 showing change from longitudinal to oblique rows of scales, magnified three diameters. Fig. 21, 

 upper side of middle of tail, magnified three diameters. 



Frederick McCoy. 



[ 236 ] 



