1907.] OF CERTAIN SPECIES OF SQUAMATA, 59 



in which in addition to this there was another vein further 

 forward at the junction of the two dorsal suspensory mesenteries 

 of the liver. Macroscincus is normal — for a Skink — in the presence 

 of two gastro-hepatic mesenteries ; and yet it has only one gastro- 

 hepatic vein. This is formed of two equisized affluents, and runs 

 in tlie right-hand mesentery, the other being quite anangious. 



Eiomeces algeriensis shows the same double series of gastro- 

 hepatic veins that are to be found in Tiliqua scincoides. There 

 is one vein only in each of the two gastro-hej)atic ligaments and 

 a third vein implanted at the junction of these anteriorly. As 

 in miiqiui, the medianly situate vein of the three belongs to the 

 left-hand ligament. Of an example of Chalckles ocellatus, dissected 

 by me a good many years ago, I have sketches and descriptions 

 showing that this species is moi-e like Macroscincus* than Eurneces 

 or Tiliqua. For the gastro-hepatic veins ai-e limited to the right- 

 hand one of the two gastro-hepatic ligaments, with the usual 

 vein which enters the liver at the junction of the two veins. 

 There were in this individual four of these veins in the right 

 ligament. It seems, therefore, that the nvimerovis gastro-hepatic 

 veins of the genus Gerrhonotus may be regarded as evidence of 

 affinity with the Anguidse, since these veins are, as a rule, not 

 numerous among the Lacertilia other than the Anguidse, Amphis- 

 bfenidie, and Hatteria^ except among the Scincid^e, where the 

 existence of two gastro-hepatic ligaments accounts for the greater 

 niunber of these veins than occurs in the majority of those genera 

 with only one gastro-hepatic ligament. And, in coming to this 

 conclusion, it must be further borne in mind that the number of 

 gastro-hepatic veins would appear to be fairly constant, so far as 

 the somewhat meagre facts already known allow us to judge. 

 There is but little else in the anatomy of this Lizard, so far as I 

 have been able to record the facts, which bears very distinctly 

 upon its affinities, a conclusion for which the, at present, very 

 small knowledge of the Lacertilia is doubtless largely responsible. 

 It seems, at any rate, to be the fact that Gerrhonotus exhibits no 

 mai-ked features in its organisation which point to an affinity 

 with the Scincidpe, except perhaps the condition of the quadrato- 

 jugal ligament, which is undoubtedly like that of Eurneces. 



(6) On a Point of Structu^ral Resemblance hettveen Heloderma 

 and, Varanus, and on some Specific Characters of Varanus. 



Although it is not the prevalent opinion that these two genera 

 of iSaurians are nearly allied, there are not wanting anatomical 

 resemblances between them ; and, indeed, some of the most recent 

 writers t on the anatomy of Heloderm,a have brought together a 



* It is perhaps not without interest to notice that in these two genera (Chalcides 

 and Macroscincus) the double character of the umbilical ligament is not so marked 

 as it is in TSiimeces and" Tiliqua. They have, therefore, at any I'ate, two anatomical 

 features in common. 



t Boulenger, P.Z.S. 1891, p. 109 ; Beddard, ibid. 1906, vol. ii. p. 601. 



