xin. D, 5 Taylor: Reptiles of Sulu Archipelago 249 



either of the other species of Mabuya, multicarinata or multifas- 

 ciata, since the three occur with the same apparent frequency 

 on the islands from Bitinan to Sibutu Channel. I did not ob- 

 serve any of the three species on the Sibutu Group between 

 Sibutu and Alice Channels, but I do not doubt that they are 

 present, since the three species are known to occur in Borneo. 

 Many of the specimens seen showed the anterior part of the 

 body bright russet to orange; in others the orange was only 

 present low on the sides of the body. It is extremely elusive, 

 and specimens shot with an air rifle usually managed to escape. 

 Unlike M. multicarinata and similar to M. multifasciata it takes 

 refuge in holes in the ground, which are probably burrows made 

 by it. It occurs in Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Celebes. In the 

 Philippines it is known only from Sulu Archipelago. 



Sphenomorphus fasciatus Gray. 



Several specimens were taken in Zamboanga and on Teipono 

 Island. In both places they were found burrowing under logs. 



Sphenomorphus variegatus Peters. 



Specimens were obtained in Zamboanga and on Bubuan (Ta- 

 piantana Group), Bitinan, Jolo, Sangasanga, Tawitawi, and 

 Bongao. 



Sphenomorphus palustris Taylor. Text fig. 6. 



Specimens were taken at Zamboanga and on Great Govenen 

 and Bubuan (Tapiantana Group) Islands, but none was taken 

 or observed farther south. It was present on the two islands 

 named in large numbers. All have forty scale rows around 

 the body and the distinct black and cream stripes on the side 

 of head ; the limbs have narrow light stripes on a blackish brown 

 ground color. The hind limbs are almost black in adults. There 

 are numerous transverse rows of light scales on the sides with 

 black areas between them. 



Sphenomorphus biparietalis sp. nov. Text fig. 7. 



Type. — No. 1991, E. H. T. collection; collected on Lapac, Sulu 

 Archipelago, September 28, 1917, by E. H. Taylor. 



Description of t^jpe.— Head short ; snout truncate ; the rostral 

 rather small, forming a broad straight suture with the fronto- 

 nasal; latter wider than deep, minutely in contact with the 

 frontal; prefrontals large, barely separated, touching minutely 

 the first supra-ocular; frontal much longer than broad, scarcely 

 as wide as the supra-ocular region, in contact with two supra- 

 oculars; frontoparietals large, distinct, touching three supra- 



