546 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM,, 1898. 



tills the iuterorbital space, bordered externally by six small square 

 supraoculars. Next comes a pair of prefrontals shaped like the fronto 

 parietals, but only half the size; then a small regularly hexagonal 

 frontonasal, tlie two anterior faces of which are in contact with a pair 

 of internasals, which connect with the rostral, which is entirely ter- 

 minal and not at all visible from above. The superior plates form ;i 

 regular succession of plates in pairs and single, four of the former 

 and three of the latter, or 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 2, the anterior median being 

 bordered on either side by the postnasal. The rostral plate is low, 

 wide, nearly linear, Avith eight labials on either side. The nostrils are 

 small, terminal or lateral, and placed over the junction of rostral and 

 labial or in the corners of the rostral, labial, internasal, and nasal (in the 

 anteroinferior corner of the latter). There is a large pentagonal post 

 nasal, higher than broad, articulating above with the frontal and post- 

 frontal. The loreal is large and separated from the orbit by two small 

 plates, the lower subcircular and over the junction of the third and 

 fourth labial. The orbit is completely surrounded by a circle of small 

 plates, of which six are superior, six i)osterior and inferior, and three 

 or four anterior. There is a large central mental, with seven labials on 

 each side. The labials are bordered internally by tive plates, the 

 anterior three much broader than the labials, and filling u^) tlie end of 

 the lower jaw, except a median plate connecting the second on either 

 side. 



The eyes are large, the i)upil elliptical and vertical. A membranous 

 circle, with the edges crimped, seems to represent eyelids. This is 

 however, apparently not protractile and is wanting above. 



The auricular openings are vertical, elongated, and directed upward 

 and backward. It has a border anteriorly of six or eight small 

 tubercles, less than those which cover the cheeks anterior to it. 



The back and sides are covered with small, close, bead-like tubercles 

 arranged in transverse series. They are rather elongated and alternate- 

 in adjacent rows. There are about forty in a series across the back. 

 The chin and throat, to the first fold, are similar but more rounded. 

 The two throat folds are close together, the plates in their interval 

 rounded, but smaller than elsewhere, the space between them covered 

 with four series of square plates increasing successively to the hinder 

 one, which, however, is not as large as those on the breast. The under 

 parts from the hinder fold to the anus are covered with regular square 

 plates in ten longitudinal series, raised to twelve by a lateral more 

 irregular and rather smaller row on each side. These plates do not 

 alternate in successive rows, but form longitudinal series, these 

 twenty-eight transverse series from throat to thighs and three on the 

 pubis of two each increasing progressively in size until those bordering 

 the anus are much larger than on the belly. Tlie tail is encircled by 

 about seventy Avhorls of scales which lengthen behind; they are com- 

 posed of square plates, the upper more convex from side to side. 



