J 6 • Dr. Smith's Contributions to the 



When full grown, this species measures from fourteen to six- 

 teen feet, and abounds in the river* beyond Currichane, and 

 in those toward) Natal and Delagoa Bay- It ia ,r ' uc,> dreaded 

 bv the natives of the countries'"''"' 011 -' 1 w . n * cn lne fivers flow, 

 aiid proves often destructive to individuals, wb»n in the net of 

 parsing them- From that circi" r,8,ance ' *"ch as havp occasion 

 to cr->ss streams infested by it. usually assemble, if possible, 



nameu in commemoration 01 me laie enierpming iv.,^..".v, 

 who fell a sacrifice to the climate of Delagoa Bay, and who. as 

 far as / know, was the first person thai called attention to u, 



Fara. TUPINAMUIOiE, 

 Genus, VARAN US. 



Va ramus aim. 



V. vertice et laleribus capitis brunneis avt brunnco-flavij ; 

 cd'o flavo, fascia brvnnea variegato ; supra brunneus, fasciis 

 fiavis anrivlatus; infra favus, lineis aut maculis nigris variu- 

 gatus. 



Head short and four-sided ; muzzle obtuse ; opening of ears" 

 large,, and about an inch behind the angle of a>oulh : scaks 

 smooth and ovate, each surrounded by a tough granulated ring, 

 and disposed upon bo iy in waved transverse rows, and on tail 

 in circular continuous rings. Crown and sides of head brownish 

 or brownish yellow; neck yellow, variegated on each side by a 

 blackish biown longitudinal stripe that commences at the 

 hinder extremity of the eye and extends as far as hinder edge 

 of shoylder, fioni which point another similar colored one de- 

 scends downwards and forwards to the base of fore leg. 

 Ground color of back and sides dusky brown, which is crossed 

 by four broad irai sverse interrupted yellow bands that increase 

 in width as they descend upon the sides; belly yellow mottled 

 by blackish stripes or spots; inshles of legs yeliow mottled 

 with brown; outsides brown mottled with yellow. Tail round- 

 ed at base but slightly compressed throughout the greater part 

 of its length, and with a double and sliyhtly dentated carina 

 above, colors yellow and brown, disposed in sixteen alternate 

 Tines,' the last, including the tip, is brown; claws dark horn 

 colored and much curved. The yellow markings, wherever 

 they occur, are, more or less, mottled with small blackish brown 

 spots, length of body eighteen inches; length of tail iwenly- 

 one imhes. Inhabis the mountainous districts of Graaff- 

 Reinet and the Orange river. The best specimens I have yet 



o 



