374 



S A U R I A. 



Maxillary teeth compressed and tricuspid. Dorsal scales granular. 

 A low crest all along the back. Abdominal scales plate-like. A 

 series of femoral pores in the male. Tail very long and slender, 

 compressed at its base, and rounded upon the rest of its length. 



SYN. Brachylophus, Cuv. Rgn. Anim. 2d ed. II, 1829, 41. WAGL. Naturl. Syst. 

 Aroph. 1830, 151. GRAY, Synops. Kept, in Griff. Anim. Kingd. IX, 1831, 37. WJEOM. 

 Herp. Mex. i, 1834, 16. BUM. & BIBR. Erpet. gen. IV, 1837, 225. FITZ. Syst. 

 Kept, i, 1843, 55. GRAY, Catal. Lizz. Brit. Mus. 1845, 187. DUM. & A. DUM. Catal. 

 meth. Kept. Mus. d'hist. nat. i, 1851, 64. 



OBSERV. This is one of the most interesting genera of the Saurian 

 Order, composed so far of but one well-determined species, the geogra- 

 phic distribution of which appears to be rather wide, since it is spoken 

 of as occurring in the East Indies, and in some islands of New Guinea. 

 The Exploring Expedition met with it at Tongataboo, and at the 

 Feejees. These are the only specimens we ever had an opportunity 

 to examine. It would have given us great satisfaction had we been 

 enabled to compare them with specimens collected in the East Indies. 

 We cannot help entertaining some doubts as to the specific identity 

 of all of them. We notice a marked difference in the extension of the 

 dorsal crest along the tail, between the descriptions referred to in the 

 synonymy and the specimens which we have examined, and also in 

 the number of the femoral pores. These differences may prove of no 

 account, but we should like to see the investigations carried a little 

 further, and a thorough comparison instituted between specimens of 

 these remote localities. 



BRACHYLOPHUS FASCIATUS, Cuv. 

 (Plate XVIII, figs. 8 & 9.) 



SPEC. CHAR. Color either entirely green, of a darker shade along the 

 back than on the belly, or else irregular bands or fasciae of a bright 

 green or sky-blue, may be observed upon a dull green or bluish- 

 brown ground. 



SYN. Iguana fasciata, BRONGN. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1800, 90. Tab. vr, fig. 1 ; 

 &, Ess. Class. Kept. 1805, 34. PL i, fig. 5. LATR. Hist. nat. Kept. I, 1802, 275. 



