PLATYSAURUS CAPENSIS.— Smith.* 



Reptilia. — Plate XL. 



P. superne griseo-brunneus, dorso fascis tribus subalbidis notato ; capite corporeque fortiter depressis ; 



corporis squamis parvis ; poris femoralibua 18; cauda versus basin depressa versus apicem 



cylindracea ; partibus inferioribus, viridi flavis. 

 Longitodo e naso ad basin caudaa 3 unc. ; caudse 4> unc. 8 lin. 



Colour.— The upper portion of the head anteriorly, the centre of the 

 hind head and its outer edges so far as the anterior extremity of each eyebrow 

 greenish yellow; the other parts of the hind head light blackish green. 

 Back and sides of body intermediate between hair and broccoli brown, the 

 skin which is visible between the scales is darkest. Back varied with three 

 longitudinal cream-yellow lines, faintly tinted with green, the two outer 

 ones towards hinder legs slightly arched outwards. The central line com- 

 mences exactly at the middle of the posterior edge of the hind head, and 

 one of the others at each outer angle, — from these situations they proceed 

 separately till they reach close to the base of the tail, where they coalesce 

 and form a continuous light band which occupies the entire of its upper 

 surface to the very point. Under surface of head, neck, body, and extremities 

 wine-yellow, the two first tinted with flesh-red ; under surface of tail the 

 same colour, tinged with yellowish brown. The upper and lower lips, as 

 also the under surface of the edges of the lower jaw wood-brown. 



Form. — Figure slender, with the belly bulging laterally ; head small, and 

 like the body and tail, is much depressed, posteriorly square, and anteriorly 

 much tapered ; the nose is narrow and rounded ; nasal plate small, with the 



* Char. (in. Platysauri. — Teeth short, numerous, closely set, slender, conical and rather blunt; 

 tongue fleshy and rather pointed ; nostrils circular and situated near to the posterior and inferior edge of 

 the naso-rostral plate ; frontal plate single,t fronto-parietal plates, four, the two hinder ones and the 

 parietals forming a square shield, like what is observed in Curdi/Ius. Palpebral plates edged externally 

 with a row of narrow plates as in Gcrrhosaurus. Body much depressed, scales very small, abdominal 

 plates quadrangular and arranged in transverse rows; femoral pores small but distinct. Gular collar 

 rudimentary. 



t By mistake rendered double in the Plate. 



