144 MR. A. LOVERIDGE ON 



was found preserved in a German house at Morogoro. I do 

 not believe it was collected in the neighbourhood. Total length 

 28 inches (300-410 mm.). 



Varanus niloticus (Linn.). 

 Blgr. Cat. Liz. ii. 1885, p. 317. 



Met with at Gonya, Msiha, Morogoro, Dar-es- Salaam, Duthumi, 

 and Lumbo. At the last-mentioned place I did not see it myself, 

 but heard of it several times, and the probability is that it was 

 this species and not the white-throated. 



The following are the measurements of those obtained : — 



M. Head and 



F. 



M. 



M. 



F. 



M. 



M. 



F- 



M. 



M. 



? 

 Skin. ,, 



In some of the foregoing the tail was missing at the tip. 



Along the river-bank at Morogoro they were veyj common, 

 though more often heard than seen. The first intimation that 

 one was in the vicinity would be a rush through the undergrowth 

 followed by a splash. If you were fortunate you might be in 

 time to see the creature emerge on the opposite bank and crawl 

 into its hole. At other points along the river where the banks 

 were high and clifF-like they might be seen basking on some ledge 

 or drawing themselves up with the aid of their powerful claws. 



A good many were captured alive. The usual procedure was for 

 me to wade down the river, with a native walking through the 

 undergrowth along either bank a little in advance. On the 

 Monitor taking to the water, I remained quiet and watching where 

 it emerged and marked down its hole. We could then dig out 

 the hole until the creature was located at the terminus. The hole 

 would then be closed with the shovel till only a small opening 

 remained, large enough for its head to come through, but not to 

 let the body pass if it made a rush. As soon as the head made 

 an appearance, a widely-forked stick would be placed on it by a 

 person standing above and the animal held to the ground. The 

 spade would be pulled away, and a few exciting moments followed 

 as the creature struggled, scratched, and lashed about with its 

 tail. As soon as a favourable moment occurred the tail would be 

 seized with one hand, and with the other (wrapped in a cloth for 

 preference) the Monitor would be securely grasped by the neck 

 and transferred to a sack. 



