268 



MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE 



[June 6, 



manchen Gattungen, z. B., bei Yaranus, Iguana, ist es nach den 

 Angaben von Stamiivis zwar diinn, aber schildformig, vome 

 concav, hinten convex und zeigt Andeutungen einer Sondei^ung 

 in eine mittlere und zwei seitliche Erliabenheiten, durcli sehr 

 schwache Vorragungen, zwischen denen Spuren von Furchen 

 liegen." 



It seems plain from the above account that the cei-ebellum of 

 Varanus is considered to be like that of Iguana, and, presumably, 

 of other Lacertilia. 



In one of the most recent works dealing with the brain of the 

 Sauropsida, the Catalogue of the Museum of the College of 

 Surgeons *, there is a description of the brain of Varanus and 

 some incidental references to the brain in the Lacertilia. Of the 

 brain of Varanus it is remarked that "the cerebellum is of 

 moderate dimensions and has the plate-like form usual among 

 Reptiles." Elsewhere (p. 110) it is said that " the reptilian brain 

 is narrow . . . , and, except in swimming forms, with insignificant 

 cerebellum." 1 have examiiied this specimen myself and agree 

 with the description. None of these statements, as I think, does 

 justice to the cerebellum of Varanus exanthematicus, which is not 

 at all like that of Iguana, has not a plate-like form, and is not 

 insignificant — compaiutively speaking, at any rate. 



The accompanying figure shows the characteristics of the 



Text-fig. 39. 



Text-fio-. 40. 



Text-fig. 39. — Lateral view of brain of Varanus exantheinaticns (upper figure) 

 and of Tupinambis nigro^yunctatus (lower figure). 



Text-fig. 40. — Dorsal view of brain of Varanus exanthematicus. 

 c. Cerebrum ; ce. Cerebellum ; op. Optic lobes. 



cerebelliuii of the Teguexin Lizard (text-fig. 39), which appears 

 to me to be quite typical of the Lacertilia and to beai' out the 

 above quoted statements. It is a plate-like disc convex posteriorly, 

 which as it were lies up against the optic lobes and is propped up 



* Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue of the Physiological Series contained in 

 the Museum of the Roj'al College of Surgeons of England, vol. ii. p. 113 (2nd ed.). 



