7 i i limes Be lal 

SRN ee 
REPTILES. 225 
eleven or twelve in number, are of medium development, decreasing gradually in size posteri- 
orly. The inferior labials, with nearly the same size, form, structure, and number as the 
upper, extend posteriorly to the same distance, which corresponds to a vertical line which 
would fall back of the eye: There is one row of small supralabials, largest anteriorly, extending 
from behind the first labial and beneath the nostril, to beneath the posterior half of the orbit. 
A second row may be traced from the second loral to the third or fourth suborbitals ; and above 
there are a few more, as an indication, mayhap, of a third row, at all events very obsolete. 
The symphyseal is transversely elongated and obtusely angular upon the line of its contact with 
the labials and mental shields. There are four pairs of mental shields and an odd anterior one. 
The posterior pair is the smallest ; the next to it or fhird pair is the largest in some specimens, 
whilst in others it is the second which has the pre-eminence in that respect. The odd plate is 
generally equal in size to those of the largest pair. The first, second, and anterior portion of 
the third pair come into close contact upon their inner margin, leaving no space for smaller 
plates to intervene. On the lower half of the temporal region, the plate or scales, whatever 
called, are quite small, and very minute on the upper half. On the sides of the neck which is 
folded, behind the ear opening and beneath it, they assume a granular aspect; they increase 
somewhat in size below, being uniform under the throat and subgular folds, which are con- 
siderably developed. They are large upon an area back of the mental shields, between which 
and the inferior labials a series of them intervene; also sensibly larger upon the middle and 
posterior part of the hoyid region. 
The dorsal scales are uniform, moderate in size, and subcircular, disposed upon transverse 
irregular series from the head to the origin of tail, diminishing in size and uniformity towards 
the lower portion of the flanks. About the insertion of the limbs, and upon the thoracic region 
behind the arm, their appearance is granular. 
The limbs are stoutish and well proportioned; the fore might be termed rather. short, 
inasmuch as they do not extend much beyond the middle region of the body when stretched 
along its sides. But the apparent shortness of these limbs in that respect is owing to the fact 
that the body in this genus is proportionally much more. elongated than in Proctotretus. The 
scales on the upper surface of the forearm and arm are larger than on the body ; on the arm 
and carpus they assume the shape of scutelle or plates, one row of which, transversely elon- 
gated, may be traced to the tips of the fingers. On the lower surface and palm of the hand 
they are again granular. There is a row of plates at the base of the metacarpus. The three 
external fingers are provided beneath with a double row of tuberculous plates, the two others 
with but one row, and all of them laterally with a series of small plates. The inner finger is 
the shortest, the external is the next in size, then the second; the third and fourth are equal in 
length. The nails are strong, of moderate development, compressed, acerated anteriorly, and 
curved: the plate, the upper and the lower, situated at their base, is the most developed of the 
digital series. On the upper surface of the hind legs and external half of the foot, the scales 
are nearly of the size of those on the back; the posterior surface is granular, as well as the sole 
of the foot, whilst the inferior surface and inner half of the foot are covered with scutelle, 
larger under the tibial than under the femoral region; smallest on the foot. The toes are 
protected above with a series of transversally elongated and irregular scutelle, and beneath 
with a series of tubercular plates. Their inner sides are granular, whilst on the outer sides 
the scutelle of their upper surface meet the plates of the lower. The abdominal scutella 
are well developed, elongated, irregularly subquadrangular, and disposed upon transverse 
series. On the anterior portion of the chest these scutelle are quite small, and irregularly dis- 
posed in advance of the arms. They diminish, likewise, in size towards the posterior region of 
the abdomen, preserving, however, their disposition upon transverse series. The preanal 
scutelle are very irregular in their form, of moderate development, the central Veing the 
largest. The anal folds are granular. The tail is very long, sub or cyclo-tetragonal, tapering 
to a point, and covered with circular rows of elongated scales, increasing in size from the base 
29* 
