308 



AOAMIDA. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Third and fourth fingers equal. 



lufracaudai scales not larger than ventrals ; 



no transverse gular fold ; tibia shorter 



than the skull 1. variegata, p. 308. 



Infracaudal scales (at the base of the tail) 



larger than ventrals ; no transverse gular 



fold ; tibia as long as the skull 2, swinhonis, p. 309. 



Only seven upper labials 3. poJygonata, p. 310. 



Infracaudal scales larger than ventrals ; a 



transverse gular fold ; tibia shorter than 



the skull 4. yunnanensis, p. 310, 



II. Fourth finger longer than third. 



No transverse gular fold ; body subquad- 



rangular 5. planidorsita, p. 311. 



A transverse gular fold ; body strongly 



compressed 6. nigrilabris, p. 311. 



1. Japalura variegata. (Plate XXIV. fig. 1.) 



Japalura variegata, Gray, Ann. Sf Mag. N. H. (2) xii, p. 388 ; Giinth. 



Rept. Brit. Ind. p. 133; Anders. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1871, p. 164; 



Stoliczka, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xli. 1872, p. 106. 

 Biancia niger, Gray, I. c, p. 387. 

 Japalura microlepis, Jerdon, Proc. As. Soc. Beng. 1870, p. 76 ; 



Anders. Zool. W. Yunnan, p. 804. 



Snout a little longer than the diameter of the orbit ; canthus 

 rostralis sharp ; upper head-scales irregular, sharply keeled • a small 

 tubercular scale behind the supraciliary edge ; other scattered conical 

 scales on the hind i)Hrt of the head ; nine to eleven upper and as 

 many lower labials. Male with a very small gular pouch. A well- 

 developed nuchal crest. Body compressed, covered above and on 

 the sides with small keeled scales intermixed with larger ones, all 

 having their points obliquely directed upwards and backwards ; 

 dorsal crest, a slight serrated ridge ; ventral scales as large as the 

 largest dorsals, strongly keeled. Limbs above with scales of 

 irregular size ; third and fourth fingers nearly equal ; fifth toe not 

 quite as long as third ; the adpressed hind limb reaches the eye ; 

 tibia shorter than the skull. Tail compressed, slender, once and a 

 half to once and three fourths as long as head and body, covered 

 above with unequal scales, inferiorly with equal larger ones, the 

 size of which does not exceed that of the ventrals ; all the caudal 

 scales keeled. Olive-brown above, generally with alternating brofid 

 dark and narrower light chevron-shaped bands on the body ; flanks 

 reticulated ; a more or less distinct light band on the upper lip and 

 along each side of the neck ; tail with dark annuli ; middle of the 

 throat generally black. 



