KEPTILIA. 9 



are often faint and small, or some of them are wanting, whilst in other specimens 

 additional spots are found on the sides. It is evident that the colouration varies, in the case 

 of P. thcobaldi, to a great extent, and therefore it would be impossible to found a specific 

 distinction upon it without stronger differences. 



There is one difference which, if constant, would he of great importance. P. theobaldi, 

 as Theobald has shown, is viviparous (or, more correctly ovo- viviparous), and I find foeti in 

 the females, whereas I find only eggs in the oviducts of a female P. forsytlii. But this 

 may depend on the time of year, the pregnant females of the former species having been 

 captured at a later period of the season. 



Dr. Anderson omits to point out the characters which led him to suppose that P. 

 forsythi was a distinct species. I may have overlooked some difference, but I have examined 

 both forms carefully, and I do not think the two can be distinguished by any constant 

 character. 



The following is a description of P. theobaldi from the specimens before me : 



General form as in P. olivieri ; tail a little longer than the head and body, rather thick 

 at the base, tapering beyond, but much thicker throughout in some specimens than in others. 

 In some cases the tip is laterally compressed, in others round. Limbs rather short, the 

 hind limb reaches beyond the shoulder, and often to the head ; the fore limb does not reach 

 the thigh. Scales of back small, flat, or convex, often granular. The scales in the middle 

 of the back usually larger than those of the sides. A few rather larger scales are some- 

 times scattered over the sides, but they are not much larger than the others. The black 

 scales forming spots on the back are sometimes more pointed. Scales on the head larger 

 than those on the back ; usually the largest are on the occiput. Upper labials with projecting 

 rounded, or pointed margin along the edge of the lip, lower labials straight edged. Scales 

 on upper surface of limbs generally faintly, sometimes more strongly keeled, often almost 

 or quite smooth. Scales of lower parts smooth. Tail scales smooth, except towards the 

 end, where they are usually keeled, more strongly below than above. 



Usual colour above olive-grey, varying in tint, and more or less spotted with black ; 

 sometimes the ground colour is pale, almost cream-coloured, and the spots form ocelli. 

 Sometimes, besides the black marks, there are whitish spots of various sizes. The variety 

 P. forsythi has usually four or five pairs of black spots on the back, and is bluish-grey in colour. 

 The tail has dusky spots along each side ; these are never, except towards the tip, joined 

 across the lower surface as in P. olivieri, but they frequently meet above. Tip of the tail 

 not unfrequently black, and in many specimens (especially males, though it is not confined 

 to them) the central portion of the abdomen is black ; this colour sometimes extending to the 

 whole, or nearly the whole, lower surface of the body and head. 



6. PHRYNOCEPHALUS AXILLARIS. Plate I, fig. 4. 

 W. Blanf. : Jour. As. Soc. Bengal, 1875, xliv, Pt. 2, p. 192. 



P. major, Icevis, cauda elongata, pede anteriore in adulto mx femur attingente, squamis 

 omnibus l&mlms, caudce apicem versus eocceptis ; supra griseus, macula rubra utrinque post 

 a&illam notatus, membris cauddque fasciis fuscis transversis signatis, hac ad medium fiisco- 



