1881.] MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON PERSIAN REPTILES. 6/5 



that the tail is shorter, being from I5 to If the length of the head 

 and body. It is rounded throughout, and decreases regularly in 

 size. Head short and high, with the canthus rostralis well marked, 

 and supraorbital ridge prominent. The height of this ridge above 

 the lip-margin is equal to the distance from the anterior corner of 

 the eye to the end of the snout, or from the posterior corner of the 

 eye to the ear. No crest. A well-marked gular sac, much larger in 

 males than in females, and a double fold across the throat, the hinder 

 fold running up in front of the shoulder on each side. In adult 

 males, the fore limb laid back just touches the thigh, the hind limb 

 laid forward extends to the neighbourhood of the ear ; in females 

 the limbs are a little shorter. In the fore foot the fingers increase 

 nearly regularly in length from the first to the fourth, the fourth is 

 decidedly longer than the third, and the end of the fifth is beyond 

 that of the. first. In the hind foot the fourth toe is one quarter 

 longer than the third, and the fifth terminates nearly opposite to the 

 first. 



All the scales on the upper part of the head are distinctly keeled ; 

 there are a few scattered spinose scales about the occiput, and a little 

 group of half a dozen small spines above the ear. Tlie nostril, which 

 is at the end of the canthus, and is directed backwards and upwards, 

 lies in the hinder part of a large shield. Supraorbital ridge formed 

 of elongate scales obliquely placed. From 30 to 40 small square 

 labials round each lip, sometimes not larger, sometimes rather larger 

 than the adjoining scales ; all are swollen and subcarinate. Upper 

 median labial (rostral) variable ; the lower is about twice as broad 

 and high as the other labials. Scales at side of head, especially 

 . those in front of the eye, immediately be.neath it, and behind it, 

 keeled. Scales of chin and throat rhomboidal, bluntly keeled. 



Scales of neck small, with small conical spines scattered singly and 

 in groups on both sides. All the scales of the neck, body, limbs, 

 and tail are keeled and thoroughly imbricate. Along the back of 

 the neck the scales are unequal in size, and there is sometimes a lon- 

 gitudinal tract covered with small scales, sometimes a rudimentary 

 crest. Dorsal scales very unequal, larger scales being scattered over 

 the back and sides ; but none are double the diameter of the scales 

 occupying the middle of the back. In males the dorsal scales are 

 raised into short trigonal spines ; in females the scales are not dis- 

 tinctly spinose, but they are strongly keeled throughout. The ordi- 

 nary scales in the middle of the back are considerably larger than on 

 the sides. Ventral scales flatter, but still distinctly keeled, and 

 pointed or submucronate at the posterior extremity ; they are a little 

 larger than the scales on the sides, but smaller than those on the 

 back. About from 75 to 85 scales round the middle of the body. 

 Beneath the feet the scales are tricuspid, being strongly keeled, with 

 a small projecting point on the distal margin at each side of the 

 keel. Claws strong and dark horny, those of the fore feet longer 

 than those of the hind feet. Preanal pores forming a single not 

 very conspicuous row in males, wanting in females. 



Colour (in spirit) above earthy grey, with more or less distinct 



