386 MR. G. A. BOULENGEB ON THE VARIETIES OF 



Eostral not entering the nostril l ; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the 

 snout or a little shorter ; occipital often as long as, and sometimes much broader than, 

 the interparietal (PL XXVIII. fig. I); series of granules between the principal 

 supraoculars and the supraciliaries incomplete, the first (or the first and second) supra- 

 ciliaries being in contact with the second supraocular 2 ; temporal scales granular, the 

 tympanic and masseteric shields distinct, the latter more or less enlarged and in 

 contact with the upper temporal shield or separated from it by one or two series of 

 granules; snpratemporal shield often small, sometimes broken up into small scales 3 ; 

 usually four upper labials anterior to the subocular, five on each side only in one 

 specimen, five on one side in three. 22 to 29 scales and granules between the 

 symphysis of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate ; gular fold distinct. 

 Collar without serration, composed of 8 to 11 plates. Scales on body granular, oval or 

 oval-subhexagonal, strongly keeled; 55 to 71 scales across the middle of the body; 

 4 (or 3 and 4) transverse series correspond to one ventral plate, 37 to 51 to the length 

 of the head. Ventral plates in 6 longitudinal and 24 to 29 transverse series. Prseanal 

 plate large, with one or two semicircles of small plates. 



Scales on the upper surface of the tibia granular, strongly keeled, smaller than the 

 dorsals. 18 to 23 femoral pores on each side. 27 to 31 lamellar scales under the 

 fourth toe. Upper caudal scales strongly keeled, narrow, very obtusely pointed behind ; 

 30 to 38 scales in the fourth whorl behind the postanal granules. 



The coloration, which is the same in both sexes, is an exaggeration of the bruegge- 

 manni variety, the black predominating. Some specimens approach very nearly the 

 latter in having the middle of the back green with a black network, whilst in general 

 the black has so invaded the upper parts of the body that the yellow or green ground- 

 colour is reduced to isolated spots, which may be as small as in the Jilfolensis variety; 

 these spots may be round or wavy and transverse, as in Bedriaga's var. flaviundata, 

 with every passage between the two forms. The sides are black, with round cream- 

 coloured, yellow, or blue spots. The head in some specimens may be described as 

 brown with black spots or vermiculations, in others as black with yellow or green 

 variegations. The limbs are black, with yellow or green round spots. The lower parts 

 are black and white, the black usually preponderating and often disposed in longitudinal 

 bands ; some specimens are nearly entirely black beneath, with mere remains of the 

 white ground-colour. Large blue spots on the outer row of the ventrals, but never 

 forming a continuous band as in Bedriaga's figure of the var. flaviundata. Tail with 

 the black and white markings, usually so conspicuous on the sides in the typical 



1 Forming a suture with the frontonasal in one specimen. Another is remarkable in having two superposed 

 postnasals. 



- In the type of Bedriaga's var. flaviundata the supraeiliary granules are reduced to 3 or 4. 

 * In one specimen the parietal does not touch the postocular. 



