1873.] F. Stoliczka — Andamanese and Nicobarese Beptiles. 1G3 



cimens of D. pictus from the Nicobars generally are as soberly coloured as 

 the continental form, while those from the Andamans are very much briarht- 

 er, but the typical form again occurs on the Cocos.* The rare Trimeresurus 

 porphyraceus was found to be common on the Preparis island ; it grows to 

 nearly four feet. Of lizards the most common were Eupo^epes carinatus, 

 Ilinulia maculata, Ci/rtodactylus ruhidus, Tiaris suhcristata and Hydrosaurus 

 salvator. Of Batrachians Bufo melanostictus is very common. 



Euprepes macrotis, described by Steindachner, was observed in Galthea 

 Bay on Great Nicobar (Sambelong). 



The large Andaman form of Euprepes carinatusf is not specifically dis- 

 tinct from the common type. I met with similarly large specimens (up to 

 20 inches) on the Coco islands. Most of those which I obtained there have 

 thirty rows of scales round the body, and each scale has seven keels, the 

 three median ones being strong and distant from each other, the two laterals 

 on either side short, thin and sometimes scarcely traceable. Some speci- 

 nrens have the anterior frontal in contact with the rostral as well as with 

 the vertical, a short process of the anterior frontal separating the two pos- 

 terior. The specimens were apparently in breeding dress. The whole sides 

 of the head, neck and belly were vermilion or bright cinnabar red, the anterior 

 extremities and the back were also strongly tinged with red. The entire sides 

 of the body and of the tail and the extremities had numerous large, irregu- 

 lar white and black spots intermixed, giving the lizard quite a different 

 appearance from the ordinary type. The white spots were most numerous 

 along the edges of the back, but there is no marked white band present. 



Phelstjma Andamaneis^se, Blyth. 

 Comp. Stoliczka in J. A. S. B., 1870, Yol. xxxix, pt. II, p. 162, and Anderson in 

 P. Z. S. Lond. for 1871, p. 160. 



The following is a complete description of this remarkable lizard. 



Body rather stout, moderately depressed, tail tapering, narrow at the 

 base, with transverse contractions at distances. Snout almost conically 

 elongated, rostral broader than high, just reaching the upper surface of the 

 head ; nostrils lateral, in the hinder edge of an enlarged, somewhat swollen 

 shield, followed by a slightly smaller one ; on the upper side the two nasals 

 are separated by two (rarely by three) shields. Head, body and limbs, 

 above and at the sides, covered with equal granular scales, or rather shields, 



* It is perhaps due to their more isolated s'tuation tlint the Cocos and neighbour- 

 ing islands, (Preparis, Narkondam, Barren island), have several Nicobar forms which 

 on the Andamans are apparently wanting. We found Carpophaga hicolor common, 

 CalcBnas Nicoharicus is said to have occurred on the Cocos, and Megapodius is found on 

 Table island Among shells I got numerous HelicincBf exactly like if. Bimkeri, Bulinms 

 Nicoharicus, var., Cyclophorus, like C. nicoharicus, ^c. 



t J. A. S. B., vol. xxxix, Pt. II., p. 170. 



r 



