Acrnitlioihictylns. 77 



broader than Ioul; and a little liroader thau the iuteruarial space ; 

 prefrontals as long as broad or slightly longer thau broad, forming a 

 suture ; frontal as long as or shorter than its distance from the end of 

 the snout, about twice as long as broad, rounded or obtusely angular 

 in front, narrow behind ; parietals as long as broad, outer border 

 straight or concave. Only three large supraoculars, the fourth being 

 replaced by granules ; first as long as or a little shorter than second, 

 from which it is usually separated by a series of granules, second a 

 little shorter than third ; one series of granules, or one iu front and 

 two behind, between the second and third supraoculars and the super- 

 ciliaries, which are 6 or 7, rarely 8 iu number, the first the longest. 

 Anterior loreal shorter than second ; subocular sharply keeled below 

 the eye and usually bordering the mouth, between the fourth and fifth 

 upper labials.* A single upper temporal ; temporal scales granular and 

 smooth, upper a little smaller than the lower ; tympanic shield usually 

 present , a more or less distinct deuticulation iu front of the 

 tympanum, formed by 4 or 5 rounded or olttusely jioiuted scales. 



5 or 6 jiairs of chin-shields, the first three in contact in the middle. 

 28 to 33 gular scales in a straight line between the symjshysis of the 

 chin-shields and the median collar-plate, juxtaposed in front, larger 

 and imbricate near the collar; gular fold indistinct. Collar free, 

 cuiwed, composed of 10 or 11 plates. 



Scales granular and smooth on the uajje, rhombic, flat, subimbricate 

 and keeled on the body, gradually increasing in size towards the 

 posterior part of the back, where they are much smaller than the 

 caudals, small on the sides ; 56 to 63 scales across the middle of 

 the body, 18 to 22 in a transverse series between the hind limbs. 

 Ventral plates in regular longitudinal and transverse series, all except 

 the outermost broader thau long, but not twice as broad as loug, or 

 some only as broad as long, iu 10 longitudinal and 29 to 31 transverse 

 series. One or two enlarged median preaual plates or, in females, 

 preanal region covered with subecjual irregular plates. 



21 to 25 femoral pores on each side.t the two series meeting in the 

 middle. Digits with 3 series of scales ; toes with moderately strong 

 lateral deuticulation, usually more developed on the outer side 

 of the fourth toe, but longest lobes always less than the diameter 

 of the toe ; 24 or 25 unicarinate lamellae uuder the fourth toe. 



Upper caudal scales large, the basals broader thau long, sharply 

 keeled, lower smooth or obtusely keeled on the liasal part of the tail ; 

 22 or 24 scales in the fourth or fifth whorl. 



* Only two exceptions out of 14 specimens, according to Blanford. 

 t Up to 27 according to Blanford. 



