xii, D, 5 Taylor: Brachymeles 269 



Description of species. — Rostral large, longer than wide, point- 

 ed behind, in contact with the frontonasal in 7 specimens, 

 separated in 13; supranasals present, either in contact or separ- 

 ated; frontonasal usually broader than wide; prefrontals con- 

 stantly separated, leaving frontal narrowly in contact with fron- 

 tonasal; frontal large, longer than broad or equal, constantly in 

 contact with two supra-oculars ; frontoparietals 

 usually in contact (two specimens show excep- 

 tion), as broad as long or a little broader; inter- 

 parietal large, longer than broad, with a whitish 

 eyespot; parietals not forming a suture behind 

 interparietal (one exception) ; no nuchals; nostril 

 pierced in a small nasal, which is followed by a 

 small postnasal; two frenals, first much higher fig. i. Brachyme- 

 than wide; second lower than first and nearly '«« schadenbergi 



Fischer chin 



square; two small preocular scales; five supra- shields.' x2. 

 oculars, the second widest; six superciliaries ; 

 six or seven upper labials, the fourth entering the orbit (two 

 specimens have the fifth), first largest; four subequal scales 

 at the posterior corner and below the eye; temporal scales 

 slightly enlarged; mental large, somewhat rectangular; five to 

 seven, usually six, lower labials; an undivided postmental 

 wider than deep; first pair of chin shields wider than sec- 

 ond pair, in contact or not (10 specimens touch, 10 do not) ; 

 rostral, mental, first upper and lower labials, nasals, postnasals, 

 and internasals all apparently thickened and lighter in color than 

 body; eye small, its diameter one half its distance from snout; 

 distance from eye to auricular opening greater than from eye 

 to nostril; auricular opening present, small, about halfway be- 

 tween end of snout and insertion of forearm; forearm pressed 

 forward fails to reach auricular opening in large specimens, 

 but does so in some smaller specimens; foreleg followed by a 

 lateral depression into which it is usually folded; distance from 

 tip of snout to insertion of arm from 2 to 2.6 times (average, 2.3) 

 in distance from axilla to groin ; length of hind leg contained in 

 this distance from 3 to 4 (average, 3.25). Limbs pentadactyl; 

 with unicarinate lamellae ; six lamellae under longest finger, eight 

 under longest toe ; third and fourth toes practically equal, some- 

 times the fourth slightly longer, sometimes the third; preanal 

 scales slightly enlarged; 26 to 28 rows of scales about the body 

 , (17 specimens, 28 rows; 3 specimens, 26 rows) ; scales of poste- 

 rior part of body frequently dimly tricarinate; tail 1.1 times 

 the length of body. 



