24. ACONTIAS. 425 



First supraocular larger than the two others 



together ; uniform blackish 7. phimheus, p. 428. 



B. Snout subcuneiforra, much depressed, strongly projecting ; 14 

 scales round the body 



Frontal not longer than pra?frontal or 



than interparietal ; black lines along the 



series of scales 8. lineatus, p. 428. 



Frontal longer than prtefrontal or than 



interparietal ; dark cross bars on the 



dorsal scales 9. f/rai/i, p. 428. 



1. Acontias hurtouii. 



Nessia burtonii, G'rai/, Cat. p. 126. 

 Nessia burtonii, Orai/, Ann. N. II. ii. 18.'39, p. o3G; Dimi. (S* Bibr. v. 

 p. 781 ; Kdaari, Frodr. Faun. Ztyl. ii. p. 11 j Gilnth. liept. Brit, 

 Iml.^. 07. 



Head conical ; snout long, pointed, projecting ; ear-opening distinct, 

 minute ; rostral covering about one third of the snout ; mental 

 moderate ; frontonasal longer than the rostral and slightly shorter 

 than the frontal ; latter shield about as broad as long, angularly 

 emargiuate on each side by the first supraocular ; four supraoculars ; 

 six supraciliaries ; interparietal nearly as long as and a little broader 

 than the frontal ; parietals narrow ; loreal and first upper labial 

 very long, much longer than the rostral ; second labial entering the 

 orbit. 24 scales round the middle of the body, equal. Limbs, both 

 pairs present, minute, tridactyle, clawed. Prtcanal scales not or 

 scarcely enlarged. Length of the tail contained about once and a 

 half in that of the head and body. Brown, lighter inferiorly, each 

 scale edged with darker. 



From snout to vent 76 millim., tail 47. 



Ceylon. 



a, h. Ad. Cevlon. Dr. Kelaart. 



c. Ad. Ceylon. G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq. [P.]. 



d-e. Ad. Ceylon. W. Ferguson, Esq. [P.]. 



f-i. Ad. & hgr. Ceylon. Col. Beddome [C.]. 



2. Acontias monodactylus. 



Evesia monodactyla, Gratf, Cat. p. 127. 

 Evesia monodactyla, Gray, Ann. N. H. ii. 1839, p. 336. 



bellii, Dum. c^ Bibr. v. p. 782. 



Tetrapedos smithii, Jan, Arck.f. Nat. 1860, p. 69, pi. ii. figs. 4-12. 

 Nessia monodactyla, Giinth. Rept. Brit. hid. p. 97. 



Snout shorter than in the preceding, more obtuse ; ear-opening 

 distinct, minute ; rostral covering nearly half the snout ; mental 

 moderate ; frontonasal a little shorter than the rostral, shorter than 

 the frontal ; latter shield as long as broad or a little broader than 

 long, angularly emargiuate on each side by the first supraocular ; 



