]1. TROPrDOPnoRrs. 301 



parietals form a suture ; fifth and sixth ujjper labials largest and 

 entering the orbit ; a Ycry large azygos postmontal. Tympanum 

 smaller than the eye-opening. 30 scales round the middle of the 

 body, all smooth : ventrals largest. A single largo plate covers the 

 praeanal region. The hind limb reaches the wrist or a little bej-ond. 

 Subdigital lamellae smooth. Tail slightly compressed, once and two 

 fifths the length of head and body ; scales smooth, llufous-brown 

 above, with darker transverse bands or large alternating spots on 

 the back, the paler ground- colour sometimes appearing as a series 

 of rhombs along the back ; sides with whitish spots ; lower surfaces 

 yellowish. 



3. Tropidophorus brookii. (Plate XXX. fig. 1.) 

 Norbea brookei, Gray, Cat. p. 102. 



Upper head-shields feebly rugose ; a single frontonasal, nearly as 

 broad as long ; pncfrontals forming a median suture (separated, 

 probably abnormally, in the type specimen) ; frontal as long as 

 frontoparietals and interparietal together ; five supraoculars, first 

 longest, fifth very small ; supraciliaries becoming very minute and 

 indistinct posteriorly, altogether about fourteen ; frontoparietals 

 shorter than the interparietal ; parietals in contact behind the in- 

 terparietal : fifth and sixth upper labials largest and entering the 

 orbit : an azygos postmental. Tympanum smaller than the eye- 

 opening. 32 scales round the middle of the body: dorsals and 

 laterals equal, strongly keeled, with rounded posterior border, the 

 keels forming continuous straight lines (eight in number) on the 

 back, and oblique ones on the sides ; ventrals largest and smooth. 

 A single large plate covers the praeanal region. The hind limb 

 reaches the elbow or the axilla. Subdigital lamellae smooth. Tail 

 strongly compressed, nearly twice as long as the body, inferioily 

 with a series of large transverse scales ; upper caudal scales keeled, 

 like the dorsals. Brown above, with darker and lighter spots ; sides 

 dotted with blackish and white ; lower surfaces whitish, the tail 

 dark brown. 



millim. 



Fore limb 28 



Hind limb 4-4 



Tail 155 



Sir E. Belcher [P.]. (Type.) 



