190 Mr. A. W. E. O'Shaughnessy on Norops. 



The tail (exactly described hy Dumcril and Bibron) is almost 

 quadi-ilateral at its root ; but afterwards, and for tlie rest of its 

 length, it presents a slight compression, without, however, pre- 

 senting any raised sharp ridge above. 



The scales of the sides form a broad surface, beginning ab- 

 ruptly under the outermost series of the dorsal scales ; they 

 are very minute, uniform, closely set, and appear at first 

 sight merely granular. They extend forwards to the tym- 

 panic region ; the scales immediately anterior to the ear be- 

 come larger and more distinctly keeled. The twelve to four- 

 teen longitudinal series of large keeled scales which extend the 

 whole length of the ventral surface bound abruptly this lateral 

 space of minute scales on each side beneath ; they are some- 

 what smaller than those of the back. 



Upper surface of the limbs with keeled scales like those 

 of the back and belly ; lower surface like the sides of the body. 



A rather large gular pouch, or compressed longitudinal fold 

 of skin, depends from immediately beneath the eyes to consi- 

 derably beyond the fore limbs, along the central line of the 

 chest and belly. It is not serrated along the edge, where the 

 scales are much more closely set than on the sides of the pouch, 

 on which they are distributed in radiating stripes with wide 

 intervals not apparent when the skin is folded close against the 

 throat. These scales have a brilliant metallic lusti'e. 



The hind limbs are long and well developed. The fourth 

 toe is much longer than the third. The toes are distinctly 

 expanded into an ovate or pear-shaped disk beneath, and co- 

 vered inferiorly with narrow transverse plates. 



Both fore limbs and hind limbs, when stretched forward, 

 reach to the tip of the snout. 



The tail is exactly twice the length of the body. 



The colour characteristic o^Norojjs auratus is well rendered, 

 in the words of Dumeril and Bibron, as " un brun tauve dore." 

 The entire upper surface is of this golden brown, and probably 

 very glittering in life ; the lower surface is yellowish, with 

 metallic lustre. There is a black or purplish stripe along the 

 side of the body, apparently not beginning at so anterior a 

 point as the lateral stripe in 12-striatus ; but there is no white 

 stripe in this species. 



The dark stripe of this species is represented in the figure 

 at pi. 37. f. 2 of the ' Erpetologie Gendrale;' but it is 

 evident that, although in general form more like auratus, 

 the figure in question partakes of the characters of the two 

 species. 



Localities given by different writers : — Mexico (Peters and 

 Hallowcll); (Tiiiana or Surinam (Dumeril and Bibron). 



