VARANUS ALBOGULARIS.— Baud. 



Reptilia. — Plate II. (Male.) 



V. capite quadrangulari, versus apicem attenuate ; naribus obliquis angustis prop6 oculos positis ; coUo 

 corporeque obesis ; pedibus validis ; cauda versus basin subcylindric^ dein compressa, supra 

 carinata ; capite colloque, subochreis brunneo-inaculatis ; fascia brunnea ab oculo ad dorsum ; corpore 

 supra brunneo, fasciis, maculis lineisque subochreis variegatis, subtus subochreo, guttis brunneis 

 sparse ; cauda fasciis brunneis subochreisque altemantibus fasciata. 



Varanus Gillii-- Smith, South African Quarterly Journal, 1S31. 



Colour. — Head and neck intermediate between gamboge and ochre-yellow, 

 the former and the sides and back of the neck finely freckled by small black 

 spots ; from the outer corner of each eye, a brown stripe extends along the 

 neck, and terminates on the back immediately behind the base of the fore 

 leg, where it is much broader than at its commencement ; this stripe is 

 generally darkest at its edge and lightest along its centre : between the ter- 

 minations of these stripes there are in most specimens two large brown blotches 

 separated from each other by a yellowish line. Back brown, crossed by three 

 or four ochry yellow bands, which are, either in the form of continuous stripes 

 or interrupted blotches, and is besides variegated by smaller spots, or waved 

 narrow stripes of the same colour; the larger bands and blotches sprinkled with 

 small brown spots. The sides ochry yellow with small brown spots and 

 vei'tical stripes, the latter continued from the brown of the back; belly the 

 same colour as the sides, with a sprinkling of small brown spots. Tail 

 beneath ochry yellow ; above and on the sides marked by alternate brown and 

 yellow bands, the former spotted with yellow, the latter with brown. The 

 outer surface of anterior extremities ochry yellow, spotted with brown ; the 

 posterior extremities dark brown, spotted with ochry yellow; toes, the latter 

 colour, with some indistinct brownish bars; nails dark horn-coloured. 



Form, &c. — Head rather small ; neck and body robust and rather flatten- 

 ed ; limbs thick and strong. The head is quadrangular, rather short, broad 

 behind, and tapered towards the nose ; nostrils oblique, linear, and situated 

 near to the eyes ; teeth somewhat cylindrical and strong, obtuse in some 

 specimens, pointed in others : external ear, transverse and narrow ; tail some- 

 what cylindrical towards the base, the remainder compressed above and sui-- 

 mounted by a distinct serrated carina with a slight channel along its upper 

 surface ; towards the tip of the tail this carina almost disappears. Upper 

 surface of the head covered by flat somewhat circular scales, rather small, 

 particularly over the eyes ; lips and temples covered with small scales, on the 



