XII. D, 5 Taylor: Brachymeles 275 



second pair is divided by only a single scale. This is probably 

 the normal condition. 



Remarks. — While no locality is given, I am assured by the 

 Director of Santo Tomas Museum that the specimens are from 

 Nueva Vizcaya. I take pleasure in naming the species for Father 

 Casto de Elera in recognition of his contribution to Philippine 

 zoology. 



Superficially this species resembles Lygosoma lineatum Gray 

 and thus the specimens were found labeled. In common with 

 this species they have four digits on the limbs, and the coloring 

 and the marking are strikingly similar, but here the resemblance 

 (>eases. It has no close affinities in the genus. 



Brachymeles burksi sp. nov. Plate I, fig. 5. 



Type. — No. 700, male, private collection ; collected at Sumagui 

 (Liddell Plantation), east coast of Mindoro; May 4, 1916; by E. 

 H. Taylor. 



Description of type. — General appearance rather wormlike; 

 head bluntly pointed. Rostral large, visible above for nearly 

 half its length, rather broadly in contact with the frontonasal; 

 nostril in a minute nasal between first labial, supranasal, and 

 rostral ; supranasal in contact with largest f renal and first labial ; 

 these scales on point of snout thickened; frontonasal 

 a little broader than long, narrowly in contact with 

 frontal, which is slightly longer than broad and in 

 contact with first and second supra-oculars ; prefrontals 

 rather rectangular, touching two frenals, first super- ^"^•6- ^'■«- 

 ciliary, and first supra-ocular; four supra-oculars, lurksi^v. 

 second widest, last smallest ; four or five superciliaries ; "°^- <=hin 

 frontoparietals somewhat rectangular, little larger than x 2.^ 

 prefrontals, touching two supra-oculars; interparietal 

 a little longer than broad, narrowly in contact with the frontal ; 

 parietals more than twice as long as wide, in contact behind inter- 

 parietal, touching two supra-oculars, two temporals, and an 

 elongate nuchal; two frenals, a small preocular before eye; no 

 postnasal; six upper labials, fourth entering orbit; six lower 

 labials; mental moderate, thickened, wider than high; an un- 

 paired postmental, followed by three pairs of chin shields none of 

 which are in contact, second pair widest ; two temporals between 

 parietal and sixth labial ; 24 scale rows ; two distinctly enlarged 

 preanals; eyes small; ear completely hidden; legs reduced to 

 scaled stumplike rudiments with no indication of digits; length 

 from snout to foreleg 4.5 times in distance between axilla and 

 groin. 



