658 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON TWO NEW LIZARDS. [Nov. 17, 



dentition, and by their elongate intestines. They live entirely on 

 vegetable food*; and all, so far as I am aware, dwell in holes. By 

 Mr. Theobald (Journ. Linn. Soc. x. p. 34) they were placed in a 

 family distinct from the Agamidce\; and this view has been adopted 

 by Dr. Stoliczka and Dr. Anderson ; and they certainly form a very 

 well-marked group. 



Uromastix microlepis, sp. nov. (Plate LXXX.) 



U. affinis U. spinipedi, sed tuberculis majoribus ad latera cor- 

 poris sparsis carens, et plicis ad latera colli tubercida parva 

 ferentibus, squamisque supra et infra pedes minoribus distin- 

 guendus: ab U. acanthinura squamis omnibus multo minoribus 

 facile dignoscenda. 



Hab. in Mesopotamia juxta urbem Basrah (Bussora). 



Description. — General form massive, trunk broad, depressed ; 

 head triangular, upper portion flat behind, descending in a curve 

 towards the muzzle. Limbs rather stout ; the fore foot laid forward 

 extends beyond the snout by the length of the fingers ; laid backward 

 it reaches two thirds of the distance to the thigh ; when the hind 

 foot is brought forward, the ends of the toes nearly touch the axil. 

 Toes strong, a fringe of pointed scales on the outer edge of the 

 fourth toe in the hind foot, and less-marked fringes on the second 

 and third toes. Claws rather long, pale-coloured. Tail thick, 

 gradually diminishing in size behind, formed of rings of pointed 

 conical tubercles, its length about equal to that of the body without 

 the head and neck. 



About eighteen subcorneal teeth on each side of the upper jaw, 

 those in front smaller and much worn down ; fifteen similar teeth, 

 much blunted, on each side of the lower jaw. In front of the upper 

 jaw is a cutting edge formed of a broad central portion, which 

 appears to be a process of the outer maxillary bone, and two smaller 

 lateral teeth, one on each side, apparently united to the central 

 process at the base£. Similarly in front of the lower jaw are two 

 cutting edges, one at the end of each ramus of the mandible, each 

 composed of an osseous and a dental portion, the osseous portion the 

 broadest, and nearest to the extremity of the jaw. In young speci- 

 mens the dental portion of these pseudo-incisors is more developed, 

 and the osseous portion less than in adults. Tongue deeply cleft at 

 the end. 



The largest specimen obtained measures 21 inches, of which the 

 tail from the anus measures 8"5, head 2, fore limb to end of claws 

 4 - 75, third toe and claw measured from the division between the 

 third and fourth toes 1*12, hind limb 6*25, third toe 1*22. 



* Stellio is partially herbivorous, but it also lives on insects. 



t By Mr. Theobald Phrynocephalus was also included ; but the three Persian 

 species of this genus which I have examined agree with Agama and Stellio in 

 their dentition, and in the intestine being comparatively short. They are also 

 purely insectivorous, and do not live in holes. 



\ For figures and descriptions of the dentition of Uromastix hardwickii and 

 U. spinipes, see Gunther on the Anatomv of Hatteria — Phil. Trans, pt. ii. 1867, 

 p. 8, pi. i. figs. 12-15. 



