100 DR. J. E. T. AHCH1SON ON THE ZOOLOGY OF 



[Only one specimen of this little-known species was collected on the Helmand. — 

 J.E.T.A.] 



19. Scapteira actjtirostris. (Plate IX. fig. 1.) 

 Scapteira acutirostris, Boulenger, torn. cit. p. 114. 

 1 specimen (young). Nushki to Helmand. 



Snout conical, acutely pointed ; loreal region nearly vertical. Nasals slightly swollen, 

 lower not reaching the rostral, upper forming a long median suture ; frontal grooved 

 anteriorly ; three large supraoculars, forming sutures with one another ; first supraocular 

 in contact with the first supraciliary, the second loreal, the prefrontal, and the frontal ; 

 second and third supraoculars separated from the supraciliaries and from the frontal by 

 a series of granules ; two or three minute granules between the first and second supra- 

 oculars; a small, hand-like posterior supraocular, separated from the others by granules; 

 interparietal pentagonal ; no occipital, parietals forming a suture behind the inter- 

 parietal ; no enlarged scales on the outer border of the parietals ; temporal scales 

 granular, smooth ; no auricular denticulation ; subocular not reaching the lip, resting 

 on the fifth, sixth, and seventh upper labials ; the three anterior pairs of chin-shields in 

 contact ; collar straight, the marginal scales feebly enlarged. Dorsal scales minutely 

 granular, smooth, equal. Ventrals equilateral or longer than broad, in oblique longi- 

 tudinal series ; 35 transverse series, the longest of which contains about 20 plates. A 

 very large prseanal plate, about twice as broad as long. The adpressed hind limb reaches 

 the posterior border of the orbit ; foot as long as the distance between the arm and the 

 anterior loreal ; digits flattened, smooth or indistinctly keeled inferiorly, strongly fringed 

 laterally ; the ungual lamellse much enlarged, forming a suboval disk ; a series of large, 

 transverse subtibial shields. 15-17 femoral pores. Upper caudal scales feebly keeled. 

 Sand-coloured above, with blackish network ; head with symmetrical black markings, 

 lower surfaces white. 



millim. 



From snout to vent 35 



Head 10 



Width of head 6 - 5 



From end of snout to fore limb . . 15 



Fore limb 11 



Hind limb 25 



This new species is allied to S. grammica (Licht.) ; differing by the large anterior 

 supraocular, the absence of enlarged shield on the outer border of the parietals, the 

 large prseanal, and the much larger subtibial shields. 



20. Ablephartts brandtii, Strauch. 



Ablepharus brandtii, Strauch, Bull. St. Petersb. xii. p. 367; Blanford, torn. cit. p. 391 ; Boulenger, 

 torn. cit. p. 351. 



[One specimen only of this species was collected on the Helmand. This extends 



