1872.] HIMALAYAN, AND OTHER REPTILES, 375 



nearly in a line with the axilla almost granular and small-keeled. 

 Those on the remainder of the body rhomboidai, strongly keeled, 

 imbricate, with their tips directed backwards and upwards. Tbe 

 scales on tbe middle line of the back larger than the others, and 

 the scales generally on the lumbar and mesial regions larger than 

 any of the rest, and very strongly keeled. Scales on tail arranged 

 in verticils, very strongly keeled above ; those on the anterior fifth 

 of the under surface smooth, on the remaining four fifths keeled. 

 Eight rows of ventral scales, with a lateral line of small scales in- 

 termediate between them and the dorsal scales. The two rows in 

 the middle of the belly are smaller than the row on either side of 

 them. A large transversely elongated preanal shield, with a smaller 

 one before it, surrounded by some still smaller shields. 



Colour olive, brownish- or even reddish-bronze above, with two 

 whitish longitudinal lines along each side, the lower one proceeding 

 from the snout along the lower margin of the eye over the shoulder 

 to the groin; the other and higher, through the "canthus ros- 

 tralis," over the eye and along the side of the back. Below the 

 former, the sides of mouth (labials), neck, and sides of body are 

 spotted with blackish. The area between these two white lines is 

 either reddish brown, or reddish and black-spotted ; and there is a 

 band of black spots along their upper margins. A short narrow 

 dark-brown line from the occiput on to the neck. A few black 

 spots on the side of base of tail. Limbs dark brown or black- 

 spotted above, most markedly on the hinder limbs. Under surface 

 yellowish. 



Snout to vent 2" ; vent to tip of tail 3 T y' ; snout to occiput £f " ; 

 anterior extremity / T " ; posterior limb 1^" ; fourth toe from base 

 of fifth -jV'. 



Hub. Shiraz, Persia. 



This species is evidently very variable, both in colouring and in 

 some of the details, chiefly affecting its posterior frontals, which 

 are sometimes quite separate from each other, while in other ex- 

 amples they are contiguous, and form a broad suture. The specimen 

 figured by Dumeril and Bibron shows the latter peculiarity. It is 

 evidently, from its peculiar coloration, a form inhabiting a dry 

 country ; and it is probably an inhabitant of arid hill-sides, where its 

 colour will hardly be distinguishable from the soil. Me'netrie's's spe- 

 cimens were from Bahon ; it has also been obtained at Smyrna, and 

 Eichwald includes it in his fauna. 



Four species of this genus have been recognized m India: — 

 O. jerdoni, Blyth ; O. theobaldi, Jerdon ; O. beddomii, Jerdon ; 

 O. inicrolepis, Blanford. 



Eumeces ladacensis, Gthr. Rept. of Brit. Ind. p. 88. 



This species has a transparent eyelid,. no supranasals, four supra- 

 ciliarv shields, thirty-eight rows of scales round the body, and fifty- 

 six to fifty -eight transverse series between the fore and hind limbs. 

 The opening of the ear is denticulated, and the subcaudals are 

 broad, and there are two enlarged preanal scales. Giinther states that 



