768 MR. EB. H. AUSTEN ON A RECENT ZOOLOGICAL [June 16, 
the inner digit, eight or nine under the fourth ; limbs with dermal 
folds, the largest extending from the vent to the fifth toe. Tail 
much depressed, bordered on each side by a broad, entire, dermal 
fold with fringed edge. Rostral quadrangular, broader than deep ; 
nostril pierced between the rostral and four scales; 12 upper and 
10 lower labials ; symphysial triangular ; two pairs of chin-shields, 
the median forming a suture behind the symphysial. Head, back, 
and limbs covered with small granules, largest on the snout; 
occiput and back with numerous small, round, smooth tubercles ; 
ventral scales small, cycloid, imbricate, smooth. Tail covered 
with small granular scales, the muscular portion with transverse 
rows of small smooth tubercles above, with a series of transverse 
shields beneath. Grey above, speckled with brown, with quad- 
rangular dark spots disposed in pairs along the back, connected 
by brownish bands and wavy transverse lines, and confluent into 
cross-bars on the tail; a dark streak on each side of the head, 
passing through the eye; pale yellow beneath, speckled with 
blackish on the sides, the muscular portion of the tail coral-red. 
“Tris golden brown.” 
millim millim 
Total length ...... 115 Fore limb ...... 17 
lead ath ctcwee fs 16 Hind dimb.. <3 21 
Width of head .... 9 Marl’ sist op oe 56 
Body ie sreheais' ce. oak 43 
The single specimen is a female. 
9. Notes on a Recent Zoological Expedition on the Lower 
Amazon. By E. E. Austen, Zoological Department, 
British Museum. 
[Received June 16, 1896.] 
In the autumn of last year Mr. Alexander Siemens, of the firm 
of Messrs. Siemens, Bros. & Co., Limited, of Woolwich, being about 
to proceed to the Amazon in command of an expédition for the 
purpose of laying a telegraph-cable from Parad to Manaos, and 
having been much interested by the perusal of the well-known 
works of Bates and Wallace on the fauna of this particular region 
of the South-American continent, thought that the expedition 
would afford an excellent opportunity of increasing the national 
collections. Mr. Siemens accordingly made a most public-spirited 
offer to the Trustees of the British Museum to the effect that, 
should they desire to avail themselves of the opportunity, he would 
be pleased to take on board his ship, the cable s.s. ‘ Faraday,’ a 
member of the Museum staff in order to make collections at the 
various localities on the river with which telegraphic connection 
would have to be effected. Needless to say, the Trustees accepted 
the offer in the spirit in which it was made, and through the 
