REPTILES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 211 



erally elongated, forming a margin ; the posterior plates largest, 

 and appearing as if they were a continuation of the last verte- 

 bral plate. 



Sternum small, composed of nine yellowish brown plates ; it 

 is divided into three portions by two ligamentous hinges; the 

 anterior, composed of three plates, is quite moveable upon the 

 second division ; the third portion, of four plates, the posterior 

 of which are emarginated. and have their posterior angles 

 acute, although united to the second division of the sternum, 

 consisting of the two large abdominal plates, by a similar hinge 

 with the first, is scarcely moveable. 



Head pointed, flattened above ; snout, truncated. Eyes mod- 

 erate in size ; pupils black, irides golden. Nostrils large at the 

 extremity of the snout. Top of the head nearly black. A 

 narrow yellow line passes from the tip of the snout backwards 

 over each eye, and is lost upon the neck ; a second line of the 

 same color, larger and much brighter, is continued backward 

 beneath the eyes to the neck. A broad yellow band is also 

 observed upon each side of the chin, exhibiting a striking con- 

 trast with the dark brown color of the jaws. Skin of the neck, 

 throat and legs, ash colored. Neck, covered with granulations. 

 Several yellowish warts or cirrhi upon the throat. Legs and 

 feet slightly granulated ; upon the anterior legs, three large 

 scaly plates ; at the base of the feet several smaller scales of a 

 similar character ; these scales do not exist upon the legs of 

 the posterior extremities, although they do upon the feet. 

 Toes palmated ; fore feet with five toes, and five claws ; pos- 

 terior, five toed, with four claws. Tail short, with several 

 rows of pointed warts. 



The specimen from which I have drawn the above descrip- 

 tion, is three inches and a half long, one inch and a half high. 

 Of six specimens lying before me, five do not vary a line in 

 length. The sixth, which is considerably younger, is less 

 than three inches in length ; has a more marked dorsal ridge 

 than either of the others, and the blotches are more 

 numerous. 



