256 sciKciD^. 



42. Lygosoma noctua. 



Scincus noctua, Lesson, Voy. Coquille, Zool. ii. p. 48, pi. iii. fig. 4 ; 



aShaw/hn. Ann. ^ Mag. N. H. (4) xii. 1873, p. 44. 

 Oligosoma noctuuni, Girard, U. S. E.vplor. Exped., Herp. p. 249. 

 Lygosoma vertebrale, Hallow. Proc. Ac. Philad. 1800, p. 487. 

 Euprepes novarte, Steind. Novara, Rept. p. 47, pi. ii. f. 4. 

 Mocoa novara;, Giinth. in Brenchleij, Curax^ao, p. 403. 

 Lygosoma (Lipinia) aurea, Meyer, Mon. Bed. Ac. 1874, p. 132 *. 

 (Mocoa) noctua, Peters <^ Doria, Ann. Mus. Genova, xiii. 1878, 



p. 347 ; aShauyhn. Zool. Rec. 1878, Rept. p. 8. 



Habit lacertiform ; the distance between the end of the snout and 

 the fore limb is contained once and one fourth to once and three 

 fifths in the distance between axilla and groin. Snout moderate, 

 pointed. Lower eyelid with an undivided transparent disk. 

 Nostril pierced in the nasal ; no supranasal ; frontonasal at least 

 as long as broad, forming a suture with the rostral and with the 

 frontal ; latter shield as long as or a little shorter than frontoparietals 

 and interparietal together, in contact with the first and second 

 supraoculars ; four supraoculars, first and fourth longest ; eight 

 supraciliaries ; frontoparietals and interparietal distinct, subequal ; 

 parietals forming a suture behind the interparietal ; two or three 

 pairs of nuchals ; fifth upper labial entering the orbit. Ear-opening 

 roundish, a little smaller than the eye-opening without project- 

 ing lobules. 26 smooth scales round the middle of the body ; dorsals 

 much larger than the others. A pair of enlarged pra^auals. The 

 adpressed limbs overlap. Digits cylindrical at the base, com- 

 pressed at the end ; subdigital lamell® smooth, 21 or 22 under the 

 fourth toe. Tail a little longer than head and body. Golden brown 

 above ; a whitish, brown-edged spot on the occiput, continuous with 

 a light vertebral band edged on each side with brown spots ; a dark 

 brown lateral band or series of large spots, intermixed with pale 

 dots ; lips brown-spotted ; lower surfaces whitish. 



Fiji, Friendly, Samoa, Society, and Sandwich Islands; New 

 Guinea. 



a. Ad. Fiji. H.M.S. ' Herald.' 



b-c. Ad. Tongatabu. H.M.S. ' Challenger.' 



f-h. Ad. Tongatabu. J. Brenchley, Esq. [P.], 



i-l. Ad. & bgr. Samoa. Rev. T. Powell [P.J. 



* Type (Dresden Mus. 310) examined. 



