REPTILES OF BRITISH BIRMA. 25 



stoub; and the head is peculiarly compressed anteriorly, and bulged 

 behind, quite unlike Giinther's figure of T. microlepis, from which 

 and T. cochinchinensis it is clearly distinct. 



The scales are dull and lustreless, and the coloration peculiar 

 for a Skink. It harbours under half-immersed stones, and enters 

 the water and gravel freely. 



TiLiQUA, Gray. 



T. RTJFESCENS, Sliaw. 



This is so widely diffused a species that it seems desirable to 

 describe the race found in Pegu, as it may probably differ in some 

 respects from Indian specimens. Colour above dark rich bronze- 

 brown, the back, above, being bordered with a pale stripe. Sides 

 above dark, verging in some specimens to blackish, and white- 

 spotted. Down the back, from nape to tail, run five black lines, 

 formed by the edges of the rows of scales. Lower part of sides 

 and belly yellowish white, or yellowish. Throat bluish-white. 

 In the breeding-season the throat and sides of the male are deeply 

 sufl\tsed with red. The coloration of tliis species is somewhat 

 variable as to tint ; and some individuals have black or black and 

 white spots ; but the above characters are pretty constant. Scales 

 3-keeled. 



a. Adult male. Body 370 c. Adult female. Body 4-70 

 TaU 7-10 Tail 5-90 



10-80 lOGO 



Body 4-50 d. „ „ Body 375 

 Tail G-50 Tail 7*00 



11-00 10-75 



All from Pegu. This species is viviparous ; and both the above 

 females contained a few undeveloped eggs, the largest about the 

 size of hemp-seeds. An adult female, captured in July near 

 Shuighiu, contained sevei*al well-developed embryos. Cantor 

 says the females deposit " 6-12 yellowish-white oval cylindrical 

 eggs, half an inch in length." This is, I believe, an error, but is 

 explained by Cantor's confounding the next species (which is ovi- 

 parous) with the present. T. multicarinata, Kuhl, is evidently 

 " the young with 5-7 keels" of T. rufescens apud Cantor, though 

 it is not included even as a synonym in GUuther's ' Catalogue.' 



