Journal of the Philadelphia Academi/. 263 



from the extremity of the tail : on each side of the vent projects a 

 small leg, terminating in two corneous toes, somewhat aduncate, 

 the external considerably the longest; external ear, or membrana 

 tympani, a scarcely visible point posterior to the angle of the 

 mouth. The habitat of this species, which is figured, is unknown; 

 but this is unimportant as regards geographical distribution, the 

 species of iieps being known to inhabit each of the grand divisions 

 of the globe. 



The " Description of a new species of Scincus'^ by Dr. Harlan, 

 is that of the .S'. hicoloj^, Fuscous above, silvery-white beneath ; 

 with two longitudinal white lines on each side ; tail slender, 

 rather longer than the body ; anterior and posterior feet with five 

 toes. It inhabits the United States. Its total length is nine inches 

 and four-tenths, that of the tail being five inches and four-tenths. 



To Dr. Harlan we are also indebted for a " Description of two 

 new species of Jgama.'''' The first of tlicse is the J. vuUuosa. 

 J3ody generally cinereous ; neck longitudinally plicate beneath ; 

 tail slender, long; scales rhomboidal, caiinate; anterior part of 

 the back, and posterior part of the head, rather crested. The 

 total length of this species is nine inches and eight-tenths, that 

 of the tail being seven inches. It appears to be referable to the 

 genus Calotes of Cuvier, and is common in gardens in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Calcutta. The second species presents a striking 

 contrast to the preceding. It is characterized as the J. cornuta. 

 Body depressed, ovate, scabrous; above variegated with fuscous, 

 beneath white ; head cjuadrangular above ; tail scarcely half the 

 length of the body. The total length is four inches, that of the 

 tail being one inch and a half. It inhabits the great plains east 

 of the Rocky Mountains, and is readily to be distinguished from 

 the other orbicular lizards by the numerous spines which are 

 scattered over its upper surface, and especially by the strong 

 spines projecting backwards from the foreliead and vertex. 



The paper for which we are indebted to Mr. V/. W. Wood is 

 entitled a " Description of a new species of Salamander." This 

 species, the native country of which is unknown, is thus charac- 

 terized ; S.piinctaiissima^ Grayish, entirely covered with numer- 

 ous black dots ; extremities long and slender ; tail a little longer 



