REPTILES. 225 



eleven or twelve in number, are of medium development, decreasing gradually in size posteri- 

 orly. The inferior labials, with, nearly the same size, form, structure, and number as the 

 upper, extend posteriorly to the same distance, which corresponds to a vertical line which 

 would fall back of the eye. There is one row of small supralabials, largest anteriorly, extending 

 from behind the first labial and beneath the nostril, to beneath the posterior half of the orbit. 

 A second row may be traced from the second loral to the third or fourth suborbitals ; and above 

 there are a few more, as an indication, mayhap, of a third row, at all events very obsolete. 

 The symphyseal is transversely elongated and obtusely angular upon the line of its contact with 

 the labials and mental shields. There are four pairs of mental shields and an odd anterior oiie. 

 The posterior pair is the smallest ; the next to it or third pair is the largest in some specimens, 

 whilst in others it is the second which has the pre-eminence in that respect. The odd plate is 

 generally equal in size to those of the largest pair. The first, second, and anterior portion of 

 the third pair come into close contact upon their inner margin, leaving no space for smaller 

 plates to intervene. On the lower half of the temporal region, the plate or scales, whatever 

 called, are quite small, and very minute on the upper half. On the sides of the neck which is 

 folded, behind the ear opening and beneath it, they assume a granular aspect ; they increase 

 somewhat in size below, being uniform under the throat and subgular folds, which are con- 

 siderably developed. They are large upon an area back of the mental shields, between which 

 and the inferior labials a series of them intervene ; also sensibly larger upon the middle and 

 posterior part of the hoyid region. 



The dorsal scales are imiform, moderate in size, and subcircular, disposed upon transverse 

 irregular series from the head to the origin of tail, diminishing in size and uniformity towards 

 the lower portion of the flanks. About the insertion of the limbs, and upon the thoracic region 

 behind the arm, their appearance is granular. 



The limbs are stoutish and well proportioned ; the fore might be termed rather short, 

 inasmuch as they do not extend much beyond the middle region of the body when stretched 

 along its sides. But the apparent shortness of these limbs in that respect is owing to the fact 

 that the body in this genus is proportionally much more elongated than in Proctotretus, The 

 scales on the upper surface of the forearm and arm are larger than on the body ; on the arm 

 and carpus they assume the shape of scutellfe or plates, one row of which^ transversely elon- 

 gated, may be traced to the tips of the fingers. On the lower surface and palm of the hand 

 they are again granular. There is a row of plates at the base of the metacarpus. The three 

 external fingers are provided beneath with a double row of tuberculous plates, the two others 

 with but one row, and all of them laterally with a series of small plates. The inner finger is 

 the shortest, the external is the next in size, then the second; the third and fourth are equal in 

 length. The nails are strong, of moderate development, compressed, acerated anteriorly, and 

 curved : the plate, the upper and the lower, situated at their base, is the most developed of the 

 digital series. On the upper surface of the hind legs and external half of the foot, the scales 

 are nearly of the size of those on the back ; the posterior surface is granular, as well as the sole 

 of the foot, whilst the inferior surface and inner half of the foot are covered with scutelte, 

 larger under the tibial than under the femoral region ; smallest on the foot. The toes are 

 protected above with a series of transversally elongated and irregular scutellfe, and beneath 

 with a series of tubercular plates. Their inner sides are granular, whilst on the outer sides 

 the scutella3 of their upper surface meet the plates of the lower. The abdominal scutellas 

 are well developed, elongated, irregularly subquadrangular, and disposed upon transverse 

 series. On the anterior portion of the chest these scutellas are quite small, and irregularly dis- 

 posed in advance of the arms. They diminish, likewise, in size towards the posterior region of 

 the abdomen, preserving, however, tlieir disposition upon transverse series. The preanal 

 scutellee are very irregular in their form, of moderate development, the central being -the 

 largest. The anal folds are granular. The tail is very long, sub or cyclo-tetr agonal, tapering 

 to a point, and covered with circular rows of elongated scales, increasing in size from the base 

 29* 



