— 112 — 



The specimens oi femur are nearly of the same length 

 (46 millims.), but some have a somewhat stouter shaft than 

 others. The is much stouter than that of the humerus. 

 Also this bone shows no deviation from the ordinary 

 Lacertian type. 



The bones before us are sufficient to give an idea of 

 the size of tliis Lizard ; by comparing them with tlie 

 skeletons of a Monitor and of a large Scincoid, I infer 

 that the Lizard of Mauritius must have had a body of 

 between 14 and 15 inches in length, the tail not in- 

 cluded. 



The question as to its affinities is much less easily 

 answered, the peculiarities of the mandible being appa- 

 rently rather generic, and not indicative of a family type, 

 and the leg-bones being of too general a type to be of 

 much use in the solution of the problem. The Pleuro- 

 dont ffimilies which can come under our consideration 

 are : — 



1. The Mbniforida', which are distinguished by a 

 much smaller number of powerful teeth than we find in 

 iliQ Mauritius Lizard. 



2. The Teidee and Lacerfidrp may be excluded, the 

 former as being confined to the New World, the latter as 

 being composed of species of small size. 



3. Among the Ignanidce all tho genera approaching 

 the Mauritian species in size are provided with notched 

 teeth. 



4. Thus, then, remain the families of Zonuridce and 

 Scincidw, both of which are well represented in the tropi- 

 cal parts of Africa, Madagascar, and even the Mascarene 

 Islands. The dentition of many of them closely resem 

 bles that of our Lizard, especially in the obtuse form of 



