CATALOGUE OF SHIELD REPTILES. 



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Bombifrons indicus. Skull, nearly adult. 



showing that it grows to a much larger size. The speci- 

 men I described as C. trigonalis is 241 inches long. 



In my Catalogue of the Tortoises and Crocodiles in the 

 British Museum, published in 1844, I described it, from 

 two adult skulls from India of 18 and 20 inches length, as 

 a new species, which I called Crocodilus bombifrons, point- 

 ing out the straightness of the suture between the inter- 

 maxillary and maxillary bones. I observed that I had seen 

 in the Paris Museum a large specimen which had been 

 described by Dumeril and Bibron as an adult of Crocodilus 

 biporcatus, which appeared to belong to this species, stating 

 that it was immediately known from C.porosus by the 

 breadth and convexity of the face. 



In the same work I separated the Indian specimen from 

 the common African Crocodilus, under the name of Croco- 

 dilus pahistris of Lesson, and pointed out that it seemed to 

 be the same as the Crocodilus biporcatus raninus of Muller 

 and Schlegel ; and I described two other, very young speci- 



mens under the name of Crocodilus trigonops, on account of 

 the shortness and width of the head. 



The examination of the specimens on which these species 

 were founded, and the comparison of them one with another 

 when ranged in a series, with the other specimens since 

 obtained intercalated in their places according to their size, 

 have convinced me that they are referable to mere varia- 

 tions of growth of a single species, which is generally spread 

 over the Indian peninsula. 



Var. Nose narrow, the intermaxillary bones rather 

 longer and narrower. 



Hub. Ceylon (skull, Kdaart). 



There may be two species of Ceylon Muggars, as in one 

 of the heads the intermaxillaries appear to be longer and 

 narrower than in others from the same country. I have 

 not sufficient materials to satisfy myself as to the distinct- 

 ness of this species and the permanence of the forms. 



