298 



S A U E I A. 



ways, as well as anteriorly, giving the portion in advance of the eye 

 a rather wedge-shaped appearance. The mouth is deeply cleft ; the 

 gape raised posteriorly, where it approximates the orbits. The eye 

 is large and subcircular : the pupil being likewise circular and very 

 large. The longest, or horizontal diameter of the eye, enters once and 

 a half along the space between the orbit and the extremity of the 

 snout, and twice upon the middle of the interocular region. The 

 auricular aperture is very small and circular. 



The rostral plate is subquadrangular, somewhat longer than deep. 

 There are two small and angular internasal plates, in contact with 

 the rostral. The nostrils are lateral, and situated in a recess formed 

 by the first labial plate, the rostral, and the internasal. The upper 

 labial plates are subquadrangular, diminishing gradually in size from 

 the anterior one to the ninth, which is situated opposite the middle of 

 the -pupil ; these are followed by three or more small subelliptical 

 plates tapering into granules. The symphyseal, somewhat smaller 

 than the rostral, is triangular, with its summit truncated ; it is not 

 entirely inclosed by the first pair of lower labials. The latter, number 

 twelve on either side : the three anterior pairs being considerably larger 

 than the rest, which diminish gradually towards the angles of the 

 mouth. There are no mental shields, properly so called : the area 

 adjoining the labial plates exhibits very small, hexagonal, or poly- 

 gonal plates, whilst the rest of the under surface of the head is 

 minutely granular. The upper surface of the head, between the eyes 

 and the apex of the rostrum, is protected by small, hexagonal, or 

 polygonal plates, whilst the posterior region is minutely granular. 

 The sides and upper surface of the neck are covered with still smaller 

 granules than the head itself. 



The body is subcylindrical, apparently deeper than broad, and 

 granular : along the dorsal region, the granules are slightly larger 

 than laterally, increasing somewhat in size along the lumbar region, 

 where they assume the aspect of small polygonal plates. The abdo- 

 men exhibits small, hexagonal, or rhombic, granule-like scales, largest 

 upon the interfemoral region. 



The limbs are quite slender : the anterior pair still more so than 

 the posterior pair ; their upper surface, to the very tip of the toes, is 

 covered with granules similar to those of the body ; and, their inferior 

 surface, the fingers and toes not included, exhibit the same granule- 

 like scales observed on the abdomen. The fingers and toes are 



