244 s A u R i A. 



ther, though not quite contiguous, since the anterior angle of the 

 vertex plate meets the prefrontal. The vertex plate itself is elon- 

 gated, lanceolated, very acute posteriorly, where it engages but slightly 

 between the parietals. The odd occipital is a sublanceolated lozenge, 

 entirely inclosed in front by the parietals, and behind by the latero-oc- 

 cipitals. The postoccipitals are subrhomboid, scale-like, as well as the 

 temporal shields, of which three or four may be counted on either side. 

 The supraoculars are likewise five in number ; the second largest ; the 

 fifth very small, and contiguous to the lateral-occipital ; a portion of 

 the second, the third and fourth entirely, meet the parietal ; the first 

 and second are contiguous to the vertex plate, and the first, moreover, 

 sends an acute angle to the postfrontals. The transparent disk of the 

 lower eyelid is subcircular, of moderate development. Seven labials 

 on either side may be observed ; the fifth interrupting the infraorbital 

 chain ; the five anterior are subquadrangular, increasing somewhat in 

 size backwards ; the sixth and seventh are subrhomboid, resembling 

 the temporal shields. The symphyseal is a little smaller than the 

 rostral, and hemidiscoid. The lower labials, smaller than the upper, 

 are six on either side ; the first and sixth smallest. There are three 

 pairs of broad mental shields, and an odd one in front ; the anterior 

 pair is contiguous upon the middle edge ; the others are diverging. 



The scales are disposed upon twenty-six longitudinal series across 

 the middle of the body. The dorsal and caudal ones are subequal, 

 and somewhat larger than on the sides. The caudal scales are slightly 

 larger than those on the body, similar aspects being compared. 



The dorsal region, head, and tail above are brownish-olive ; the back 

 speckled with black. A dark streak extends along the upper portion 

 of the flanks, from the orbit to almost the very tip of the tail, some- 

 what obsolete along the latter region; it may also be traced, narrower, 

 to the nostril in advance of the eye ; along the flanks it is margined 

 with a lighter fillet. The lower half of the sides and belly are light 

 greenish-olive ; the sides somewhat speckled or else lineolated, as well 

 as beneath, with greyish : there being one of these lines between each 

 row of scales. In the young, there is a conspicuous light line from 

 the ear to the groin, margining the lower edge of the lateral dark 

 streak. The upper light line is also more conspicuous than in the 

 adult. Beneath the inferior light line, is another narrow dark streak. 



LOG. Bay of Islands, New Zealand. 



