18i)9.] UEPTILES OF THE MA.LAY PENIKSULA AND SIAM. (>47 



lu some specimens this line starts from behind the nostril, passes 

 above the eye and continues along the neck, sides of the back, and 

 anterior third of the tail, where it gradually disappears. 



The sides of the body and tail may be ornamented with a varying 

 number (in some specimens none) of distinct or irregular yellow 

 or white ocelli, each of which may be broadly edged above and 

 below with black. 



The sides of the head may be olive-brown or reddish olive (when 

 not dark brown, as under I.), and the sutures between some or all 

 of the shields on the top and sides of the head may be distinctly 

 outliued in black (" Yar. D, D. & B." cqnid Cantor.). 



Limbs above olive-green or brown,. with or without longitudinal 

 black lines. 



Tail above coloured like back, with or without black spots. 



Lower surfaces : chin and tliroat bluish white, whitish, or 

 yellowish like the body ; body bright sulphur or pale greenish 

 yellow ; limbs sulphur or pale greenish yellow ; tail yellowish 

 anteriorly, olive-brown posteriorly. 



Iris reddish orange, marked with dark bronze, yellowish bronze, 

 or " black with a golden circular ring " (Cantor). 



Inside of mouth purplish grey. Tongue purplish, sometimes 

 nearly black. 



Size. Mabuia multifasciata grows (o a larger size than the other 

 Skinks inhabiting this region ; a male from Bangkok measures : — 

 Total length 275 mm. (snt. to vnt. 120, tail 155) ; arm 31 mm. ; 

 leg 50 mm. This specimen has, however, a short tail ; in propoi-tiOn 

 to those of smaller specimens the tail might have been 276 mm., 

 which would give a total length of almost 400 mm. 



Hah. Eastern Himalayas (?), Burma, Siam, Malay Peninsula, 

 Nias, Java, Borneo, Celebes, Ternate, Gilolo, N. Ceram, Timor 

 Laut, Lombok, Ombaai, Philippines. 



77. Mabuia siamensis (Giinther). 



Mabuia siamensis, Blgr. Cat. Liz. iii. p. 188. 



Siamese. " Ching-lane." 



The type specimen was collected by M. Mouhot in Siam. I 

 found this species very numerous in Bangkok ; it is found in the 

 same localities as Mabuia multifasciata, which it resembles in habits 

 and general appearance, and to which it is very doselij allied. 



Description. (Di'awn up from eighteen Bangkok specimens.) 

 Snout moderate, obtuse. Lower eyelid scaly. Nostril behind 

 the vertical of the suture betvveen the rostral and the first labial ; 

 a postnasal ; anterior loreal not in contact with the first labial in 

 eight specimens, slightly in contact iu eight specimens, and slightly 

 in contact with it on one side of the head, but not in contact 

 on the other side, in one specimen; sUpranasals not in contact 

 behind the rostral in four specimens, in contact in fourteen 

 specimens ; frontonasal about as broad as long, or broader than 

 long jprsef rentals in contact mesially ill six specimens, not in con- 

 tact ipi eleven specimens ;■ frontal shortter than the frontoparietals 



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