214 SCINCID^E. 



which is in contact with the frontal ; the latter moderately 

 in contact with the first and second supraoculars ; frontoparietal 

 single ; interparietal distinct ; 3 or 4 supraoculars, first largest ; 

 5 small supraciliaries, first largest ; two pairs of nuchals ; 4 labials 

 anterior to the subocular. Ear-opening very small. 20 or 22 

 scales round middle of body, dorsals largest. Two enlarged 

 prsDanals. Limbs short, pentadnctyle, not meeting when adpressed. 

 Tail longer than head and body. Olive above, with a dark brown 

 lateral band edged above by a light line. 



From snout to vent 1-2 inches ; tail 1-75. 



Hob. Punjab, Sind, Baluchistan, Samarkand, Bokhara, Mesopo- 

 tamia. 



247. Ablepharus gray anus. 



Blepharosteres grayanus, Stoliczka, P. A. S. B. 1872, p. 74 ; Theob. 



Cat. p. 61 ; Murr. Zool. Sind, p. 354. 

 Ablepharus grayanus, Bouleng. Cut. Liz. iii, p. 352. 



Snout short, obtuse, rostral not projecting. Eye surrounded 

 by a circle of small scales, the two upper of which are much 

 larger than the others. Eostral largely in contact with the fronto- 

 nasal, which is in contact with the frontal ; 3 supraoculars, followed 

 by 2 small ones, obliquely descending on the temporal region ; 

 frontoparietal single ; interparietal distinct ; 4 labials anterior 

 to the subocular. Ear hidden. 18 or 20 scales round middle of 

 body. Two enlarged prseanals. Limbs short, pentaclactyle. Above 

 pale olive-green, with a very distinct metallic lustre, a little darker 

 at the sides, speckled with black, and gradually passing into the 

 uniform greenish-white lower side ; a silvery green narrow band 

 from the supraciliary edge to the base of the tail, edged with black 

 below ; limbs brown above, marked with rows of white spots : tail 

 with a pink tinge. 



From snout to vent 1-25 inches. 



Hab. Cutch and Sind. 



Genus RISTELLA, 

 Gray, Ann. N. H. ii, 1839, p. 333. 



Palatine and pterygoid bones in contact on the median line of 

 the palate, which is toothless ; palatine notch small, far behind, 

 corresponding to the posterior notch of the tongue. Teeth conical. 

 Eyelids well developed, scaly. Ear-opening distinct. Nostril 

 pierced in a single nasal ; no supranasals ; prsefrontals small or 

 coalesced ; frontoparietals and interparietal distinct. Limbs well- 

 developed, anterior with 4, posterior with 5 digits ; claws com- 

 pletely retractile into a large compressed sheath formed of one 

 large scale cleft beneath. 



Distribution. Hill-tracts of Southern India. 



