42 TROPIDONOTUS SIRTALIS. 
plates, of which the anterior is largest and semilunated, the posterior is penta- 
gonal; behind this is a loral plate, connected above to the frontal, and posteriorly 
to the anterior orbital, which is very large and oblong, ascending up between the 
superior orbital and the frontal plates. ‘There are three small posterior orbital, 
irregularly quadrilateral, and nearly of the same size; the upper one passes in 
between the superior orbital and the occipital plates; the inferior border of the 
orbit is made up of the third and fourth labial, of which plates there are seven 
on each side, quadrilateral and large, the fourth and fifth largest; there are two 
temporal plates, the anterior larger. 
The nostrils are lateral and large. The eyes are large, the pupil black; the iris 
yellowish-grey. ‘The neck is contracted. 
The body is long, but tolerably robust, covered with strongly hexagonal 
carinated scales above and with broad plates below. The tail is long, thick at 
the root, but soon becomes round, and terminates in a point. 
Cotour. The head above is dusky, with a tinge of olive; each occipital plate 
being marked with a minute yellow spot; the upper lip is greenish-straw colour, 
and marked with a dark line at the junction of the labial plates. 
The body and tail above is dusky, with a tinge of olive, lighter on the sides, 
with three longitudinal lines of pale yellow; the vertebral begins at the distance of 
three or four scales from the occipital plates, and terminates about midway on the 
tail, and includes one whole scale, and the half of the two adjoining scales on 
each side; the lateral lines begin behind the temples, and are smaller, including 
the half of two adjoining scales only; between the vertebral and lateral lines are 
numerous small, quadrate, black spots, disposed in longitudinal series, the spots of 
the different series alternating with each other, and when the scales are separated 
white specks appear between them; beneath the lateral lines the colour is paler. 
The abdomen is pale straw colour, with a tinge of green; and each plate is 
