PLATYSAURUS CAPENSIS. 



nostril situated towards its middle ; frenal plates two, the anterior one 

 small and irregularly shaped. Naso-rostral plate large and diamond shaped.* 

 Frontal plate single, oblong, and four sided, the anterior considerably longer 

 than the posterior side; fronto- parietal plates four, two anterior and two 

 posterior, the latter with the parietal plates forming a distinct square shield 

 which laterally is edged on each side with two narrow plates ; the hinder and 

 inner angles of posterior fronto parietal and anterior and inner angles of 

 parietal plates are kept apart by the intervention of a small diamond shaped 

 plate. Palpebral plates four, externally edged with a row of narrow plates 

 which form the edge of the eyebrow. Temples convex and coated with plates, 

 which anteriorly and inferiorly are surrounded with small scales. Body 

 and sides covered with very small scales, which along the middle of 

 the back are many sided and very closely set, elsewhere they are less 

 closely set and rather ovate. Anterior and outer surface of fore legs 

 covered with rather large six sided scales, hinder and inner portions with 

 small multiangular scales. The last joint covered with rather large and 

 irregularly five or six sided scales. Outer, posterior, and inner surface of 

 hinder legs towards body covered with small subovate scales, and their 

 anterior surface with quadrangular ones. Toes long and slender, nails short, 

 very crooked, and sharp pointed. Femoral pores small and eighteen in 

 number. Space between rami of lower jaw coated with lengthened narrow 

 scales arranged in longitudinal rows, those of the row along the mesial line 

 largest. Scales of under surface of neck small, and transversely subovate 

 Gular collar rudimentary, the scales composing it very small ; abdominal 

 plates quadrangular and disposed in transverse rows, about twenty plates in 

 each ; preanal plates many sided, eight in the last row, the two middle of 

 which are the largest. Tail towards base, above, flat, beneath two sided, 

 elsewhere subcylindrical, its scales narrow, quadrangular, lengthened and 

 arranged in whorls. Meatus auditorius externus large, subovate, opening 

 obliquely outwards and backwards. Tongue solid and obtusely pointed ; its 

 upper surface villous and its edges towards point, thin and sharp. Length 

 from nose to base of tail, 3 inches ; length of tail, 4 inches, 8 lines. 



Inhabits Great Namaqualand, and is always found on rocky precipices. When pursued, it 

 seeks concealment under flat stones or in the crevices which intervene between the rocky 

 masses, and, from its claws being much hooked, it is not without difficulty removed from the 

 chinks into which it may have retreated. It lives upon small insects. 



* In the figures there appears a small scale before and another behind the naso-rostral plate, but these, 

 however, are to be viewed only as small portions of the plate accideutly separated. 



