32 NEW- YORK FAUNA. 



Description. Body short, cylindrical, rather tumid, with imbricated pointed scales arranged 

 in obliquely transverse series ; these scales are carinated on the back and sides of the body, 

 each carina ending in a sharp point. On the tail, the scales are verticillate and carinate above 

 and beneath, commencing behind the vent. On the throat and underside of the body, the 

 scales are somewhat smaller, smooth, rhomboidal, the tips often broken or notched into two 

 or more jagged points. Head moderate, sub-quadrate, depressed above, obtusely pointed at 

 the snout, and covered with rough imbricated scales. Terminal plate transversely oblong, 

 triangular. Nostrils round, patent, near the end of the rostrum, each surrounded by ten small 

 plates ; behind these are placed the larger plates of the head, of which the anterior is hexa- 

 gonal, and the posterior largest. From beneath the nostrils, proceeds a series of acutely 

 carinated scales-. Eyes moderate, with eyelids covered by minute plates. Ear openings 

 very large, vertical. Minute recurved teeth in each jaw, and a sensible roughness on the 

 palate. Tongue thick and fleshy, slightly fissured at the tip. A duplicaturc of the skin of 

 the neck behind the ear openings, which scarcely amounts to a gular fold beneath. Fore feet 

 slender, covered above and on the sides with carinated scales, which become gradually effaced 

 on the fore-arm and fingers ; beneath smooth. Fingers five, slender, and all covered with 

 very acute curved nails ; the thumb shortest ; the next equal to the outer in length ; the two 

 others longest, subequal. Length of the fore extremities, 1 • ; of the hind legs, 1 • 5. These 

 latter are likewise covered on the upper surface and the sides with the same carinated pointed 

 scales, but they are continued over the metatarsus. Toes five, very long and slender, the inter- 

 nal shortest ; the fourth from this, half an inch long. On the under side, and rather behind, 

 is a distinct series of from sixteen to eighteen elevated pores ; posterior to this is a semicir- 

 cular fold, covering a foramen ; and behind this, the vent, forming a transverse fissure. 



Color. Above of a reddish brown hue, with irregular waved bands of a darker color. 

 Beneath the chin, abdomen and under sides of the extremities and tail, dingy or yellowish 

 white. Throat and sides of a deep indigo or greenish blue. These colors are so disposed, 

 that the imderside of the animal appears as if marked with a long white cross. Toes white- 

 ish, obscurely banded with brown. In a young individual, two inches long, the color was 

 deep olive brown, and the waved or zigzag marks were black, margined posteriorly with ash 

 grey ; the toes, fingers and tail annulate with grey ; beneath uniform pearl grey, with several 

 dusky longitudinal streaks on the posterior part. In another specimen, eight inches long, the 

 dorsal marks and the sides were bright chesnut. 



8 



'b" 



Dimejisions of the specimen described above. 



Total length, 5*5. 



Length of the body to the vent, 1"8. 



Length of the head measured to the ears,.. 0'6. 



Ditto of the tail, 3-2. 



This is an active little reptile, abounding in forests, and apparently preferring the pine, upon 

 which it is often seen in pursuit of insects. It was first introduced into my pubhshed list of 



