1872.] StoliczJca, on KacJih Beptiles. 73 



one Gymnodactylus of that type known from the eastern parts of India ; 

 it is, therefore, very probable that these forms have come from the West. — 

 Uromastix is an entirely African, or western, form, but penetrated as far 

 eastward as the Ganges, and so did Sitana Ponticeriana, at the same time 

 spreading into South India. — The new generic form Slepliarosteres can only 

 be compared with the eastern European AblepJiarus. — Zamenis diadema has 

 its headquarters in Arabia, Persia, and Sind. — The deadly Echis carinata 

 and Psammosaurus scincus claim W. Africa as their home. 



Without accumulating examples, I think, the idea recommends itself, 

 that animals have preceded men in their wanderings from the West 

 to the East. However, it must be borne in mind that all these forms pro- 

 ceeded eastward only as long they found suitable physical conditions and 

 suitable climate. 



SATTBIA. 



VAEANIDiE. 

 1. VARANrS DEACiENA, L. 



Not common, but occurring throughout Kachh. Young and adults 

 have 90 to 100 transverse rows of shields between gular fold and groin. The 

 adult (up to 5 feet in length) lives in narrow crevices of rocks, while the 

 young is more often seen near houses. The latter is extremely variable in 

 colour : grey, or dark brown, with numerous irregular, narrow, black cross 

 bands and streaks, or rows of dark spots, with interspersed yellow spots or 

 rosets, arranged in more or less regular transverse series ; tail towards the 

 end tinged bright yellow, or orange red. There is a conspicuous dark stripe 

 from the eye to above the ear ; chin more or less distinctly dark banded. All 

 these markings are more or less indistinct, or become even obsolete, in the 

 adult, except the dark stripe behind the eye. The scales on the upper neck 

 generally have distinct rounded tubercles on them. The species appears to be 

 almost quite as much terrestrial in its habitat, as the next. 



2. Vaean^fs (Psammosauetjs) scii^cus, Merrem. 



V. griseus, Daud. — F. arenarius, Geoff.— F. ornatus, Carlleyle, J. A. S. B., xxxriii. 

 Pt. ii, 1869, p. 192.— Jerdon, Proc A. S. B., 1870, p. 71. 



Somewhat rare, occasionally seen near villages. — Both this and the 

 young of the former species, which are not very dissimilar in colouration, are 

 throughout Western India known under the name oi Bis-cohra or CJianden-go. 

 They are dreaded by Natives and Europeans alike, who believe their bite to 

 be deadly, for which there is of course no reason to be assigned, unless it 

 should happen that the auimal gets very excited, and then its saliva may 

 possibly become poisonous. But natives often died, not because they were 

 bitten by a reaUy poisonous reptile, but because they firmly beheve that the 

 reptile was a poisonous one. 



