42 ME. Gt. A. BOTTLENGEK ON THE EEPTILES 



shields to the base of the tail, and thirty-eight round the middle of the body. A pair 

 of large shields border the anal cleft. The scales on the limbs are small inferiorly, 

 larger superiorly, largest on the fore arm and tibia. 



The tail, which is a little longer than head and body, tapers gradually, and is cylin- 

 drical, depressed at the base ; the scales are uniform and perfectly smooth. 



The upper surfaces are of a uniform pale olive or pinkish brown, the head frequently 

 darker and more olive; the limbs are sometimes pinkish. The lower surfaces are 



white. 



6- ?• 



millim. millim. 



Total length 135 124 



From snout to vent 57 59 



Head (to ear-opening) 14 13 - 5 



Width of head • . . . 8'5 7 



From ear-opening to fore limb .... 8 9 



Fore limb 21 20 



Hind limb 24 22 



Tail 78 65 



This species was discovered by Mr. Guppy in the Treasury, Santa Anna, and Short- 

 land Islands. 



Five other species of the genus lApinia have been described, viz. : — 



Lipinia pulchella, Gray, Cat. Liz. 1845, p. 84.— Philippines. 



L. vulcania, Girard, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1857, p. 196, and U.S. Explor. Exped., Herp. 

 p. 254. — Philippines. 



L. semperi, Peters, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1867, p. 18.— Philippines. 



L. aurea, Meyer, Mon. Berl. Ac. 1874, p. 132.— Jobi. 



L. virens, Peters, Sitz. Ges. Nat. Fr. Berl. 1881, p. 81.— New Guinea. 



Leaving out L. aurea, the description of which is insufficient, the characters of the 

 different species appear to be as follows: — 



I. Digits not at all dilated. 



Five supraoculars, anterior smallest ; ear-opening very large ; fourth toe much longer 



than third ; 24 scales round the middle of the body L.pulchella. 



Four supraoculars ; ear-opening large ; 30 scales round the middle of the body . . . L. vulcania. 



II. Digits, especially the toes, slightly dilated. 



Four supraoculars ; ear-opening large ; fourth toe little longer than third ; 24 scales 



round the middle of the body L. semperi. 



III. Digits strongly dilated. 



Five supraoculars, first nearly as large as the four others together; ear-opening small; 



