168 Dr. A. Giinther on Eeptiles from China. 



moides with three inguinal pores and strongly keeled ventral 

 scutes. I have seen only one specimen from Japan with three 

 pores, but six others possess only two, and their ventral scutes 

 are remarkably smooth, only those on the side of the abdo- 

 men being slightly keeled. Dumeril and Bibron also do not 

 seem to have observed more than two pores in this or any 

 other species of the genus. 



Whether or not T. amurensts, Ptrs., is distinct from T. 

 tachydromot'des must be left uncertain until more materials 

 are collected. I have not seen this form. But I have much 

 less doubt as to the distinctness of T. Haughtonianus from T. 

 tachydromoides^ on account of the considerable difference in 

 the number of transverse series of ventral scutes. 



Finally, three specimens of T. Wolteri of Fischer show a 

 remarkable agreement in having a single inguinal pore com- 

 bined with eight dorsal series, which are composed of scales 

 of nearly equal size. One specimen is the type from the 

 Korea, a second forms part of tlie present collection from Kiu 

 Kiang, and the origin of the third is unknown. The colora- 

 tion is also identical, the white lateral band being singularly 

 bright and well defined. 



Thus I distinguish from the materials at present at my 

 disposal and from the descriptions of authors eight species, 

 which may be shortly characterized as follows : — 



I. Three pairs of chin-shields. 



A. Dorsal scales in four series. 



1. Inguinal pores three to five; ventral scutes in twelve series. 



T. sihliimensis, sp. n. Sikkim. 



2. Inguinal pores two (exceptionally one) ; ventral scutes in ten 



series T. sexlineatus, Daud. Borneo, Java, 



Birma, Khassya. 

 8. Inguinal pore one ; ventral scutes in twelve series. 



T, mendioncdis, Gthr. China. 



B. Dorsal scales in eight or nine series, of which the three outer ones 



on each side are the largest ; one inguinal pore. 



T. smaragdinns , Blgr. Loochoo Is- 

 lands. 



C. Dorsal scales in six series, of which the two middle ones contain 



very small scales, and are represented sometimes by one series 

 only * ; one inguinal pore. T. septentrionalis, Gthr. Kiu Kiang, 



Nankin, Niugpo. 



* In two specimens from Shanghai a series of small scales is interca- 

 lated between the outer pair of large scales. 



