462 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1898. 



SPH^^RODACTYLUS Wagler. 



SpTicerodactylus Wagler, Syst. Amph., 1830, p. 143,— Boulenger, Cat. Liz. Brit. 



Mu8., I, 1885, p. 217. 

 Spharodacfyhis Gray, Griff. Auim. Kiug. Syu., p. 52. — Wiegmanx, Herp. Mex., 



1834, p. 20. — DUiMERiL and Bibron, III, 1836, p. 401.— BocouRT, Miss. .Sc. 



Mex. Kept., 1873, p. 44. 

 S2)ha;rodacii)his Fitzinger Syst. Kept., 1843, p. 93.— Gray, Cat. Liz., 1845, p. 168.— 



Cope, Proc Acad. Nat. Sci., Plaila., 1861, p. 497. 



Digits subcylindrical, without claws; expanded at their extremity 

 into subcircular pads; smooth, and not grooved beneath. 



The Spha^rodactyles are easily distinguished from the Phyllodactyles 

 by the absence of any median groove on the surface of the terminal 

 disks of the digits. They differ in other points of organization, though 

 more nearly related to them thau to the other Geckonidas 



The species described by Dumeril and Bibron all appear to have the 

 scales of the dorsal surface small, granular, or else with those along 

 the middle of back smaller than the layer on either side. The single 

 one inhabiting the United States (Key West), on the contrary, has the 

 scales of the upper surface large, equal, strongly carinated, and larger 

 than the ventral. The S. richardsonii of Gray has the same character, 

 but differs in coloration. 



SPH^RODACTYLUS NOTATUS Baird. 



Sphwrodactyhts notatua Baird, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1858, p. 2.54; U. S. 

 Mex. Bound. Sur., Reptiles, p. 24, pi. xxiv, figs. 29-37. — Cope, Proc, Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Phila., 1861, p. 500.— Boui ^:ngeii. Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus., 1, 1885, p. 226, 



Scales on back and sides large, equal, strongly carinated and acute; 

 those* on belly rather smaller, smooth, hexagonal. Tail cylindrical. 

 The head is about half the body alone; the tail equal to both together. 

 The hind leg is contained about two and two-thirds times in head and 

 body; the hind foot about times. The upper parts are light-brownish 

 yellow, covered ratber distantly, but cpiite uniformly, with small circnlar 

 spots of reddish brown, conspicuously so on the whole head ; scarcely 

 seen on the belly; on the breast they almost seem arranged in regular 

 lines. Head broad and acutely pointed, depressed; width about two- 

 thirds the length to ear. Rostral consisting of a large triangular plate 

 forming the entire end of the muzzle. The nostril opening in its 

 po.sterior margin over the junction of the first labial, bordered above 

 by a slight shell. Behind the rostral are two triangular plates meeting 

 internally by an acute angle, and coming by the antero-exterior angle 

 in contact with the lateial rostral. There are three large upper labials, 

 the first largest, the second between this and the third; posteriorly 

 are two or three much smaller. There is a very large mental plate like 

 the rostral, and forming the end of the jaw; on each side of this is one 

 very large lower labial corresponding to the first and second upper; 

 then two smaller ones. There ate no ])lates under the lower labials 

 larger than those on the chin. There is a shallow depression in the 



