Zoology.'] NATURAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. IReptiles. 



posterior end of tail. Color: Some specimens uniform lioht-greyisli-brown, paler 

 below; others have black, transverse patches on the snout, the middle of head 

 coming down as a narrow, triangular mark through the eye on each cheek, and 

 others have, in addition, a very variable number of fainter, triangular spots extend- 

 ing along the side where the back and belly scales meet, for a greater or less 

 distance. Measurements: Tip of snout to base of leg-flaps, 3 in. 10 lines; tail, 

 12 in. 9 lines; tip of snout to ear, 5 lines; diameter at middle of body, 85 lines; 

 number of scales on middle of back in half-an-inch, 10. 



Reference. — Gray, in Grey Trav. Anstral., v. 2, p. 427, t. 4, f. 3; = Delma 

 Grayi, Smith 111. Zool. S. Africa Rept., t. 76, f. 2 ; ? = D. Molleri Liitken Vidensk. 

 Meddel 1862, p. 296, 1. 1. f. 2. 



This genus maiuly differs from Pygopus in the smooth, unkeeled 

 scales of the body, and in the absence of the transverse row of 

 pre-anal pores. The £aps representing the hind hmbs are smaller 

 than in that genus. 



The original figure by Dr. Gray in Capt. Grey's Travels is 

 much too short, the individual figured ha\'ing obviously been 

 broken during life, and the tail end re-grown of smaller dimensions 

 than natural, as is very commonly seen ; the apparently excessive 

 length of Smith's figure being due to the specimen having escaped 

 mutilation. I have no doubt that Dr Giinther is quite correct in 

 suggesting the specific identity of Gray's and Smith's species, the 

 latter being really an Australian, and not an African, form. The. 

 greater number of the specimens found near Melbourne are of the 

 plain uniform coloring of our figure, but I have a few with dark 

 markings on the head and sides of neck depicted by Gray and 

 Smith, diftering in no other respect fi'om the plain ones. One 

 specimen in the Museum; from Newington station, in the Wimmera 

 district, presented by Mr. Forster, of Stawell, has grown two tails, 

 forking out fi-om the place of previous fracture. 



EXPLAKATION OF FiGUKES. 



Plate 153. — Fig. 1, average specimen of plain colored variety, natural size. Fig. la, top 

 of head, magnified two diameters, to show form of plates (large scale outside parietals divided 

 on one side). Fig. \h, side view of head and neck, showing ear, magnified two diameters. 

 Fig. Ic, portion of side view of head, magnified four diameters, to show more clearly the scaly 

 eye-lid, the large fourth lahi.al, under the eye, the large loreal or ant-ocular plate, and other plates 

 on the side of the head more clearly. Fig. \d, front view of head, m.agnified two diameters, to 

 show the rostral and mental plates, and the downward prolongation of the first and second 

 lower labials. Fig. le, pUates of under-side of belly, magnified two diameters, showing the two 

 njedian rows wider than the two lateral ones. Fig. I/, scales of back, magnified two diameters. 

 Fig. Ig. side view of posterior end of body and anterior end of tail, to show leg-flaps, magnified 

 two diameters. Fig. \h, same part of body, magnified two di.ameters, viewed from below, 

 showing the pre-aual plates with four rows of abdominal and three rows of sub-caudal plates, 

 with their relative sizes, magnified two diameters. 



FjlEDEEICK McCOT. 



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