Philochortus. 13 



distance from the end of the snout or a little shorter, I5 to If times 

 as long as broad, angular or rounded in front, narrower behind, 

 distinctly grooved ; parietals 1^ to 1^ times as long as broad, in contact 

 with the upper postocular ; interparietal extremely narrow, in contact 

 with or narrowly separated from the very small occipital.* Two large 

 supraoculars, subequal or anterior the shorter, entirely surrounded by 

 a series of granules,t of which larger ones represent the first and 

 fourth supraoculars ; 5 or 6 superciliaries. Lower eyelid somewhat 

 transparent, with feebly enlarged scales in the middle, some of which 

 may be deeper than the others. Eostral not entering the nostril ; a 

 single postnasal ; anterior loreal shorter than second ; 6 upper labials 

 anterior to the subocular, which is narrower beneath than above. A 

 long, narrow upper temporal, followed by a shorter shield ; temporal 

 scales very small and granular above, much larger beneath ; a small 

 curved tympanic shield usually present. 



4 pairs of chin-shields, first three in contact in the middle ; 25 to 28 

 gular scales in a straight line in the middle, granular in front, gradu- 

 ally or abruptly enlarged and imbricate towards the collar ; no gular 

 fold. Collar with strongly serrated edge, composed of 7 or 8 plates. 



Scales granular and smooth behind the occiput, rhombic, subimbri- 

 cate, and keeled on the body ; 4 or 6 series of hexagonal, strongly 

 keeled plates along the back, 8 between the hind limbs. 24 to 281 

 plates and scales across the middle of the body. Ventral plates in 6 

 longitudinal and 27 to 30 transverse series, the border of the transverse 

 series feebly notched between the plates, the median pair of which is 

 narrower than the others. Preanal plates small and irregular, or one 

 enlarged. 



11 to 13 femoral pores on each side. 25 to 31 lamellar scales under 

 the fourth toe. 



Caudal scales in nearly equal whorls, upper oblique, strongly and 

 diagonally keeled, pointed and more or less distinctly mucronate behind, 

 lower keeled, except the basals ; 22 to 28 scales in the fourth or fifth 

 whorl behind the postanal granules. 



Young black above with five yellowish white longitudinal streaks, 

 the median bifurcating on the nape, the two laterals as in the preceding 

 species ; head and limbs brown above,hind limbs with round whitespots ; 

 throat and belly white, lower surface of hind limbs and tail coral-red. 

 Adult brown above, with a more or less distinct yellow vertebral streak, 



* A small shield between the interparietal and the occipital in one young- 

 specimen. 



f In one of the two type specimens described by Steindachner the circle of 

 granules is incomplete, the supraoculars being in contact with the frontal. 



J 30 in the type of Eremias heterolepis, according to Boettger. 



