CROCODILIANS, LIZARDS, AND SNAKES. 351 



of which about twenty-two are from the cervical fohl. Femoral pores, 

 eleveu. 



Above yellowish green, with a well-marked neutral black collar, 

 margined before and behind by yellowish. Back with transverse bars 

 of dusky, forming distinct half rings on the tail. 



l»ody stout, thickened; much depressed. Head scarcely wider than 

 the neck. Tail cylindrical, except at the base, where it is much 

 depressed; its under surface flattened; its length about li times that 

 of head and body. Occipital plate large, nearly square; its width 

 equal to the distance between the outer borders of the nostrils. Supra- 

 orbital plates rather irregular, in two series of large, bordered inter- 

 nally by one row and externally by one or two of smaller (making four or 

 five), exclusive of those forming the extreme edge. Infraorbital series 

 formed of five or six plates, of which the horizontal one is twice as 

 large as that anterior to it. 



Scales on the body very large, spinous and crestless. Those on the 

 back are twice as wide as those on the belly; rather broader than 

 long; subcircular or subhexagonal and very thin. These are smooth 

 on the under surftice, except beneath the feet, but decidedly carinated on 

 the sides and above, most especially on the tail. Those along the middle 

 of the back (ten or twelve) rows are either very obsoletely carinated 

 (as in Cat. Nos. 2952, 2933) or not at all. All the scales on the upper 

 surface of the back and tail are denticulated; a larger tooth or spine 

 in the center, and usually two or three on each side. On the back the 

 central spine is but little longer than the lateral, owing to the trunca- 

 tion of the scale; on the tail, however, it is much longer, the scale very 

 acute. There are about fourteen <piite distinct femoral pores. 



There are about forty-eight rows of scales encircling the body at the 

 thickest part. Of these about seventeen are on the back, as nearly as 

 can be estimated. At a distance from the anus equal to that from the 

 nose to the hinder edge of occipital plate the tail is encircled by thirteen 

 rows of scales. 



In alcohol the color of this species is yellowish, with about seven 

 transverse, broad, dusky bands above from head to opposite anus and 

 as many thence to tip of tail. There are also traces of two or three on 

 top of head; of these the one which extends between the shoulders is 

 very distinct, crescentic in shape, and continuously black. The others 

 are only faintly indicated by dusky sides to the scales. In the male 

 the chin or space beneath the head is blue, and there is an elongated 

 blue patch on each flank, margined internally and behind by black, 

 more extended in the groin. The two patches are separated on the belly 

 by about ten scales; they are very indistinct anteriorly. The remain- 

 ing under parts are plain yellow. A supposed female (Cat. I^o. 29526) 

 has a trace of blue on chin, but none on the flanks. 



In a specimen (Cat. No. 2955) the black collar on the neck above is 

 extended across the throat. The dark dorsal bands are confined to the 



