VARANUS, 165 



surface yellowish, uniform or dotted with blackish ; the dots 

 most numerous on the throat. Young with numerous whitish 

 ocelli frequently alternating with blackish transverse bands, which 

 may persist after the ocelli have disappeared ( F. lunatus). 



From snout to vent 2| feet ; tail 3. 



Hab. The whole of India and Ceylon; Burma? Terrestrial, 

 living in holes, in dry places. 



185. Varanus nebulosus. 



Monitor nebulosus, Gray, Griff. A. K. ix, Syn. p. 27. 

 Varanus nebulosus, Giinth. Kept. B. I. p. 66, pi. ix, fig. D ; TJieob. 

 Cat. p. 39 j Boukng, Cat. Liz. ii, p. 311. 



Teeth acute, compressed. Snout rather elevated, pointed, convex, 

 as long as the distance from the anterior corner of the eye to the 

 posterior border of the ear ; canthus rostralis distinct. Nostril an 

 oblique slit, half as far from orbit as from end of snout. Ear-opening 

 oblique. Digits moderately elongate. Tail compressed, keeled 

 above. Scales of head small, subequal ; supraocular region with a 

 series of four to seven transversely dilated scales. Scales on upper 

 surfaces small, oval, obtusely keeled, those on anterior part of neck 

 larger, subcircular, not keeled. Abdominal scales smooth, in about 

 80 transverse rows. Caudal scales keeled ; the caudal keel with a 

 very low, doubly-toothed crest. Greenish or brownish olive, 

 irregularly marbled and dotted with darker and lighter ; chin and 

 throat with transverse blackish bands or marbled with blackish. 

 The young have numerous yellowish ocelli on the back, limbs, and 

 base of tail, and the whole of the lower surfaces marbled with 

 blackish ; nape with two posteriorly directed, chevron-shaped, 

 blackish bands, the anterior proceeding from the eyes. 



From snout to vent 1 foot 2 inches ; tail 2 feet. 



Hob. Bengal, Burma, Siam, Malay Peninsula. 



186. Varanus dumerilii. 



Monitor dumerilii (Miill), Schleg. Abbild. p. 78. 



Varanus macrolepis, Blanf. J. A. S. B. 1, 1881, p. 239, pi. xvi. 



Varanus dumerilii, Bouleng. Cat. Liz. ii, p. 312. 



Teeth acute, compressed. Snout depressed at the end, measuring 

 a little more than the distance from the anterior border of the orbit 

 to the anterior border of the ear; canthus rostral is not well marked. 

 Nostril oblique, about half as far from orbit as from tip of snoiit. 

 Digits moderate. Tail strongly compressed, keeled above. Scales 

 of head moderate, subequal ; those in the middle of the supraocular 

 region slightly enlarged transversely. Scales on upper surface of 

 neck very large, about as broad as long, flat, the hindermost slightly 

 keeled; dorsal scales large, oval, keeled; scales above the limbs 

 keeled. Abdominal scales slightly keeled, in 75 to 85 transverse 



