240 W. T. Blanford — Description of a new Varanus, with [No. 4, 



than in the allied forms, the breadth being but little inferior to the height 

 and the diameter less than the length of the eye. 



All the scales of the upper part of the body are larger than in any 

 other Indian or Burmese form. The scales of the nape above the neck are 

 flat, about as broad as long and much larger than those on the head. The 

 dorsal scales are oval and bluntly keeled, nearly as long as those of the 

 nape, but narrower, and rather larger than those of the sides. A few- 

 smaller scales are interspersed, both on the back and nape. The ventral 

 scales are nearly or quite as broad as long, not more than half as long as 

 the larger dorsal scales ; there are about eighty scales between the gular 

 fold and the thighs. Scales above the limbs bluntly keeled. 



The scales on the top of the head are flat and do not vary much in 

 size ; those in the middle of the superciliary region are slightly enlarged, 

 but less so than in V. nebulosus. 



Tail very much compressed with the upper lateral scales minute, only 

 half the length of those on the lower portion of the tail, where several 

 longitudinal rows are larger and sharply keeled. 



In the young individual examined, the colour of the body and tail 

 consists of broad transverse alternating black and yellow bands, the black 

 bands on the body being more than twice as broad as the intervening yellow 

 rings, but, on the tail, the difference between the breadth of the two 

 decreases. The black bands disappear upon the lower parts, except towards 

 the end of the tail. There is a broad black band across the hinder parts 

 of the neck, extending to the side in front of the shoulder, and giving out, 

 on each side, a narrower black stripe that extends above the ear to the eye. 

 There are three broad black bands between the shoulders and the thighs, 

 one between the thighs, eight on the tail. None of the bands are broken up 

 by spots or mottling on the upper parts. The limbs are blackish above 

 with small yellow spots, yellow below with a tendency to dark transverse 

 marks. The head and nape are uniform yellowish above ; there are a few 

 short vertical dark marks on the upper and lower labials. 



The total length of the only specimen procured is 8 -5 inches, of which 

 the tail from the anus measures 4 5, head from hinder edge of tympa- 

 num to end of nose 1 inch, fore limb to end of middle toe 1*2, middle toe 

 without claw 033, hind limb to end of fourth toe 145, fourth toe without 

 claw, from division between third and fourth, 0'45, third from the same 0*37. 

 This well-marked species may be immediately distinguished from all 

 other Indian forms by its peculiar nostrij, situated in a single scale, by the 

 larger scales on the upper part of the body, and especially by the scales of 

 the nape being larger than those above the head, or those on the bach. 

 These structural differences will of course be found in adults. The coloura- 

 tion also is quite peculiar, but young Varani are "very differently coloured 



