1871. } Proceedings of the Asiatic Society, 189 
SrELLIO MELANURUS, Blyth. 
Laudakia (Plocederma) melanwra, Blyth, Journ, As. Soc. Beng. 1854, vol. xxiii, 
p. 737-739. 
Laudakia tuberculata, Gray, Theobald, Cat, Rept. As. Soc. Beng., 1868, p. 38, 
A short rudimentary crest of enlarged, keeled, tubercular scales, 
Scales of the back enlarged, imbricate, strongly keeled, with serrated 
free margins, and with a small apical spine. On the middle of the 
back, there are 8 rows of the enlarged scales much larger than 
those external to them which number 7 rows, gradually decreasing 
from within outwards, the outer row, however, abruptly sepa- 
rated by its greater size from the minute scales of the sides. 
In the large central rows of scales, the strong keels form longi- 
tudinal lines, while in those external to them, the keels form ob- 
lique lines, from within outwards. Half way between the middle 
of the back and the shoulder, the number of rows of enlarged 
dorsal scales decreases to 16, so that the scales are restricted to 
a much narrower area than on the back, but before the shoulder 
there is again a slight augmentation in their distribution, the 
rows increasing to about twenty, but the scaleshaving diminish- 
ed in size, the lateral extent covered by them is not much in- 
creased. On the back of the neck, there are no enlarged scales besides 
those of the central crest which begins where the enlarged scales 
stop, on a line with the shoulder. The scales on the sides of the 
body are granular, each with a minute apical spine and arrang- 
ed in transverse lines, and there are no enlarged scales among 
them. (In this character it differs from S. tuberculatus). I count 
149 rows of scales round the middle of the body, 53 of which are 
ventral, smooth and without any trace of keels. The scales on the 
upper surface of the limbs, with the exception of those on the tail, are 
the largest, their margins are serrated and each has an apical spine. 
The scales of the tail are large and arranged in verticils which are in- 
terrupted, however, in their curve on the upper surface of the base 
of the tail. All are keeled and have strong apical spines, with 
the exception of those in the middle of the under surface of the 
tail which have no keels, but generally have an apical spine, with 
a smaller one on each side of it. Nostril above the second and 
