348 APPENDIX C. — REPTILES. 



Elgaria scincicauda, Baird and Girard. 

 Pl. IV. :^iG. 1-3. 



Syn. Tropidolepis scincicaudus. — Skilt. Amer. Jour, of Sc. Vll. 1849, 202, fig. 1-3. 



Spec. char. — Dusky green above ; light ash colour below. Eleven transverse 

 black bands on the back, interrupted on the dorsal line ; white dotted pos- 

 teriorly, six or more on the tail. Thirteen to fourteen rows of scales, well 

 carinated. 



The individual of this species which we have had figured, although 

 not quite full-grown, exhibits, nevertheless, all the essential charac- 

 ters for its identification and specific distinction. A much younger 

 specimen was figured by Mr. Skilton, in the seventh volume of the 

 second series of the American Journal of Sciences and Arts, where 

 it is given as a species of Tropidolepis. The scales, indeed, are 

 carinated, but this is not a character peculiar to the genus Tropi- 

 dolepis. A closer examination soon reveals the characteristic 

 features of the gerrhonoti, of which the genus Elgaria is a mere 

 subdivision. The conical and tapering tail, which is longer than 

 the body and head together, forms the prominent distinctive mark 

 of the genus in w^hich we place the present species. The longitudi- 

 nal area of minute scales, which extends from behind the ears to 

 the insertion of the hind legs, belong to gerrhonoti generally, and 

 distinguishes them from Tropidolepis or Sceloporus. In elgaria 

 and gerrhonoti, in general, there are neither femoral nor anal 

 pores, while their existence in Sceleporus will enable any one to 

 distinguish between them. 



The hind legs of U. scincicauda are slightly longer and stouter 

 than the anterior, not taking the toes into consideration, as those 

 of the hind feet are generally much the longest. The head is flat- 

 tened, and has the shape of an acute triangle, the summit of which 

 would be rounded. The snout therefore is rather elongated, with 

 the end conical. The plates which cover its upper surface are 

 smooth, and faithfully represented in fig. 3. The scales of the 

 back constitute twelve or thirteen rows, each of which is provided 

 with a medial carina, or ridge, extending over the tail. The scales 

 of the belly and lower surface of the tail are smooth ; on the ab- 

 domen they form twelve rows, the middle one being composed of 

 larger scales. Fig. 2 exhibits the difi'erences of the scales under 

 the head, throat, belly, and tail. The scales form transverse as 

 well as longitudinal rows, not only on the tail, as is often the 

 case, but likewise on the body itself. Those on the throat and 



