708 EEPTILIA. 



much arched in some, hut in others the margins are divergent, which is the case 

 in adult males, the width of the notch exceeding the length of the pectorals and 

 postgulars. In hoth sexes, the pectoral exceeds the inguinal breadth. 



The areola of the nuchal occurs in its anterior extremity, and in the marginals 

 the areolar area is situated at the posterior external angle, and is thus below the 

 centre of the plates. In the vertebrals, it is central and transyerse, and central 

 in the costals, but above the middle of the plates. The shields of the carapace are 

 marked by strong lines, concentric to the areolae. The areolae of the gulars occur 

 on the nodosities close to the anterior ends of the shields. They are almost central 

 on the postgulars, pectorals and abdominals, but externally eccentric on the pre- 

 anals.^ In youth the sternal plates are also marked with areolar concentric lines. 

 In the adult male the areolae all but disappear, but in the female they are weU 

 marked on the carapace. 



The head in the male is flat above between the eyes, but downwardly curved 

 in the female, with a nearly vertical snout, and a longitudinal gape. The pre-ocular 

 portion is moderately long and pointed, with the nostrils above its middle and directed 

 forwards and outwards, a groove running down from each to the interspace between 

 the three dentations at the anterior extremity of the upper jaw. The young have 

 the upper surface of the head considerably arched, instead of being flat. A pair of 

 large oblong plates on the upper surface from the nostrils to the middle of the 

 orbits. A portion is occasionally separated off, or partially so, from each plate in 

 front of the eye. Behind these plates, there is sometimes a central triangular plate, 

 with its base anterior, and a plate on either of its sides, but occasionally the trian- 

 gular plate is divided in two longitudinally. External to these plates, there are 

 three consecutive rows of shields, occasionally divided transversely, and the most 

 external the smallest and separated from the tympanum by a line of two large 

 supra-tympanic shields which are sometimes united into one. The most anterior 

 of these supra- tympanic shields is separated from the eye by a large post-orbital 

 plate. There is a line of six small supra-orbitals, and below the post-orbital there is 

 a group of five pre- tympanies. In the adult male especially, the portion of the 

 maxillary plate between the nostrils is frequently rubbed off, and the circumorbital 

 region is fleshy and almost warty. The occipital region is covered with small 

 irregularly-shaped plates. The tympanum in the adult is fleshy. There is a series 

 of small plates behind the symphysial plate of the lower jaw. The skin of the 

 neck is very loose, and covered with smooth, flat, almost fleshy, mmute scales. The 

 scales of the anterior surface of the forelimb are flattened, and but little projecting 

 or imbricate ; a few enlarged scales on the posterior surface of the limb, some of 

 which are generally larger than the others and projecting. The scales on the heel 

 are enlarged ; those of the hind limb generally small, flat and smooth, and arranged 

 more or less in transverse or oblique rows. The scales on the upper surface of the 

 tail are considerably larger, also those over the hip- joint. The tail of the male 

 terminates in a large, strong, horny claw -like point, while that of the female is only 



* The specimens are not sufficiently young to show the areolae of the anals, 



