74 TAKANID^. 



Southern India; Southern China to Malay Peninsula. This- 

 lizard is partly insectivorous, partly herbi- and frugivorous. It 

 has the power of expanding its flanks in a sort of wing, wliich 

 foreshadows the parachute of the Dragons ; as observed by Cantor, 

 fear or anger will cause a momentary expansion, as with the hood 

 of the Cobra. It is terrestrial and a borrower ; a specimen was 

 taken by Mr. Robinson climbing a tree-trunk, but this is a most 

 unusual position. According to Dr. Anuandale it is monogamous,, 

 a single pair inhabiting a burrow, which may be shared by several 

 young ones. In spite of its I'ather heavy build it can run very 

 quickly. 



In the Malay Peninsula it is on record from Perils, Prov^ 

 AVellesley, Pataui States, Jalor, Ivelantan, Trengganu, andPahang, 

 in sandy localities. Common on the Langkawi group and the 

 Dindings, and also found on the coast of Negri Sembilan and 

 on islands near the town of Malacca, 



Family VARANIDiE. 



Skull with incomplete postorbital and complete post-fronto- 

 .-iquamosal arches ; supratemporal fossa not roofed over ; prae- 

 maxillary single, narrowed and much produced posteriorly; nasals 

 coalesced, narrow ; parietal single ; frontals completely sur- 

 rounding the olfactory lobes of the brain ; a fibro-cartilaginous 

 interorbital septum ; a columella cranii. Teeth large, dilated at 

 the base, which is fixed to the inner side of the jaws ; palate 

 toothless. Clavicle slender, not dilated ; interclavicle anchor- 

 shaped. 



Tongue smooth, very long and slender, bifid, retractile into a 

 sheath at the base, similar to that of Snakes. Pupil round ; 

 eyelids well developed. Head covered with small juxtaposed 

 scales ; back with roundish granular scales surrounded by rings 

 of minute granules ; ventral scales quadrangular, arranged in 

 transverse series. Neck long. Limbs well developed, strong. 

 Tail long, not fragile. 



Lizards mostly of large size, ^carnivorous, terrestrial or semi- 

 aquatic. Lay oval, soft-shelled eggs. 



A single genus. 



Genus VARANUS. 



Men-em, Tent. Syst. Amph. p. 58 (ISi^O). 



Body elongate, limbs well developed, strong ; neck long; tail 

 long, usually compressed. Head covered with small scales. 

 Dorsal scales roundish or oval, juxtaposed, surrounded by rings- 



