604 



MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE 



[May 29, 



die sich bei Varanus als unmittelbare Forsetzung der Y. ischiadica 

 prasentirt." The accompanying figure given by Hochstetter* 

 shows this point clearly, the vein in question merely giving off a 

 branch in passing to the afferent renal behind the kidney. In 

 Lacerta, &c., on the other hand, it is rather that the ischiadic 

 vein joins the afferent renal and gives off the anterior abdominal 

 as a branch before doing so, and that this junction takes place at 

 or near the middle of the kidney. Iguana^' and some other 

 lizards agree with Lacerta in these points ; but hitherto Varanus 

 has stood alone among the Lacertilia, though showing resem- 

 blances, in the arrangement of the vein under discussion, to the 

 Crocodiles. 



Text-fig. 100. 



Origin of anterior abdominal vein in Selodemm suspecUim. 



Ant.Ahd. Two roots of anterior abdominal vein ; K. Kidneys ; M.a. Renal afferent 

 veins; O. Fat-body arter}' (this and others, i. e. femoral and sciatic arteries, 

 indicated in black). 



In Heloderma, however, there is a distinct likeness to the 

 Varanid£e which cannot be overlooked. In the accompanying 

 illustration the roots of the anterior abdominal are shown upon 

 both sides of the body (text-fig. 100), and it will be observed that 



* Loc. cit. Taf. xvi. fia;. 17. 



. t Beddard, P. Z. S. 1904, vol. i. p. 442. 



