142 Lacertirhe. 



nostril, rarely iu t-oiitaet with the froutouasal,* which is as long as 

 broad or a little broader, or longer than broad and iu contact with the 

 frontal ;t prefrontals usually forming a median suture, or sejaarated 

 by an azygos shield ; | frontal as long as its distance from the end 

 of the snout, lA to 1^ times as long as broad, a little narrower behind 

 than iu front ; parietals 1^ to Ih times as long as broad ; interparietal 

 1^ to 2 times as long as broad : occipital small, much shorter than the 

 interparietal, often separated from it by the parietals meeting iu the 

 middle. Four supraoculars, first very small, rarely absent,§ second 

 and third equal or second the longer, fourth small but larger than 

 first ; 4 or 5 superciliaries, first or first and second longest, first 

 iu contact with the supraoculars, [| followed by a series of granules, or 

 series of granules complete. Nasal forming a suture with the anterior 

 loreal above the postnasal, usually forming a short suture with its 

 fellow behind the rostral ; anterior loreal shorter than second ; usually 

 4 upper labials, rarely 3,^[ anterior to the subocular, which is narrower 

 beneath than above. Temporal scales small, obtusely keeled ; a large 

 anterior upper tempoi'al, not iu contact with the fourth supraocular, 

 usually followed by one or two smaller shields : tympanic shield 

 present, narrow and elongate. 



3 pairs of chin-shields,** the first or first and second meeting 

 in the middle ; 20 to 29 gular scales between the symphysis of the 

 chin-shields and the median collar-plate, anterior granular and 

 smooth, posterior enlarged, imbricate, pointed and keeled, and merging 

 gradually into the collar, which is composed of lO to 12 pointed, 

 keeled plates. No gular fold. 



Dorsal plates obtusely pointed or rounded Ijehind, iu 6 longitudinal 

 series, usually with 1 or 2 series of smaller plates on the median line, 

 6 to 8 altogether in the middle of the body ; usually 8 or 10 iu front 

 aud 6 or 7 behind ; 2 or 3 series of keeled scales near the ventral 

 plates, separated from the dorsals by a granular area. Ventral plates 

 iu 8 or, more frequently, in 10 longitudinaltt and 27 to 33 transverse 



* In 27 specimens out of 283 examined by Van Denbnrg-h (about 10 p. c). 



t In a male from Taipeh and in another from Punkiho. 



X In a female from Punkiho. 



§ 4 specimens jiresent this exception, accordinaf to Van Denburgh. 



II The rule in T. stejnegeri of Van Denbvirgh ; in 9 specimens examined by 

 him the series of granules between the supraoculars and the superciliaries is 

 complete, as is the rule in the typical T. formosanus. 



^ 3 on each side in a male from Punkiho and in a female from Kanshirei. 



** 4 shields on each side in two specimens examined by Van Denburgh. 



tt V'iin Denbiirgli says the ventrals are in 8 rows, not reckoning as such the 

 adjacent phites, wliich are often (|uite as long and must be regarded as ventrals. 



