GONGYLUS. 357 



lower third. Supra-nasals form sutures witli tlie sides of the triatigular 

 rostral and meet at its apex. Prffi-frontal single, hexagonal, broader 

 than long, with a concave hinder margin, into which fits the obtuse front 

 of the vertical. Post-frontals widely separated, pentagonal, and a little 

 elongated posteriorly, its lowest part forming a suture with the fourth 

 labial. Vertical very large, broadest behind, and emarginated laterally. 

 Occipital inequilaterally pentangular. Post-occipitals obliquely elong- 

 ated, in contact with the outer margin of the occipital, but not 

 meeting at its apex. Upper labials six, the fifth the largest, and 

 under the eye. One prae-ocular, one loreal or post-nasal, separated by 

 the post-frontals. A small plate between the lower eyelid and the large 

 upper labial. Superciliaries four on each side, the second the largest, 

 and with the first form a suture with the lateral emarginated border 

 of the vertical. Mental small, with a small shield behind, followed by 

 a large inequilateral pentangular one, which is concave anteriorly and 

 receives the first small shield. These are followed by three other en- 

 larged shields on each side, the first of which only forms a suture with 

 the large chin shield. 



Form slender, elongate. Body cylindrical, laterally angulated, flat 

 beneath. Tail not quite cylindrical. Body covered with small smooth 

 lustrous scales. Sub-caudals broader than the adjoining scales. Head 

 conical. Ears invisible. Lower eyelid well developed, semi-transparent. 

 Legs rudimentary ; feet covered with imbricate scales. Toes all clawed. 

 Scales on the back obscurely marked with 3-4 pale ridged lines. Colour 

 a very pale whitish brown. In two of five specimens there is a distinct 

 dusky streak from each nostinl through the eye to the hind margin of 

 the temporal plate. The other three, which are much darker in colour, 

 have only traces of these. 



Hah. — Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan and Punjab, com- 

 monly known as Bigmahi or Sandfish, from its inhabiting large 

 tracts of blown sand, and sandy soil in general. Used in Sind and the 

 Punjab as a specific for rheumatics and pains in the lumbar region. 



Gongylus, Wagler. 



Head conical. Muzzle rounded. Rostral square. Frontal large. No 

 fronto-nasal and fronto-parietal. Supra-nasals contiguous. Toes 5-5^ 

 unequal. Tail round, tapering. 



Gongylus ocellatus, Wagler, 8i/st. 162 ; D. et B. Erp. gen. v, 

 616; Gunther, Liz. 123. Tiliqua ocellata, Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat, Hist. 

 ii. 292. Scincus tiligugu, Gmel. S. N. 1073; Murray, Zool., Sfc, Sind, 

 p. 268.— The Tiligugu. 



Rostral large, square, with the nostril in its upper hinder edge. 

 Supra-nasals two, contiguous. Frontal large, septangular, widest in 

 its upper third, the first superciliary shield in contact with its upper 

 lateral margin, and a large square inter-nasal on each side in contact 

 with the lower lateral margin. Superciliaries five. Vertical large, 

 widest in its upper third across the hinder edge of the third superci- 

 liary shield on each side, its apex deeply hollowed to receive the small 



