Latastia. 17 



the anterior f or throughout ; parietals 1^ to If times as long as 

 broad, usually more or less emarginate on the side for the accommoda- 

 tion of the first upper temporal ; interparietal narrow, 2 to 3 times as 

 long as broad, 2 to 3 times as long as the occipital, from which it is 

 often separated by a small shield. 4 supraoculars, first small or 

 divided into 2 or 3, in contact with the frontal, second and third large, 

 equal, fourth small or divided into small shields or granules, 6 

 superciliaries, separated from the supraoculars by a complete series of 

 granules. Lower eyelid opaque, with vertically enlarged scales in the 

 middle. Rostral not entering the nostril ; 2 superposed postnasals ; 

 anterior loreal ^ to ^ the length of the second ; 5 or 6 upper labials 

 (exceptionally 4) anterior to the subocular, which is much narrower 

 beneath than above and sometimes has the lower portion detached to 

 form an additional shield ; a large upper temporal, sometimes followed 

 by a second smaller shield ; temporal scales granular ; a very narrow 

 tympanic shield. 



4 pairs of chin-shields, and a very small fifth, first three in contact 

 in the middle ; 25 to 31 scales in a straight line between the symphysis 

 of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate, granular in front, 

 increasing in size and imbricate towards the collar; no gular fold. 

 Collar with strongly serrated edge, composed of 7 to 10 plates. 



Scales strongly keeled, granular on the nape, rhombic and feebly 

 imbricate on the body, larger and sometimes smooth towards the 

 ventral plates, 39 to 62 across the middle of the body, 25 to 35 in a 

 transverse series between the hind limbs. Ventral plates with the 

 postero-inner angle obliquely truncate, in 8 longitudinal series, those 

 of the median pair much narrower than those next to them, the outer- 

 most very narrow ; 23 to 26 transverse series in males, 26 to 29 in 

 females. Usually two large prea^al plates, one before the other ; 

 sometimes three, one in front and two behind or the reverse, with 

 smaller plates or scales around them ; sometimes all small and the 

 median in pairs. 



A series of 7 or 8 large transverse plates under the forearm. Scales 

 on upper surface of tibia keeled, smaller than dorsals. 13 to 16 

 femoral pores on each side. Subdigital lamellae bicarinate, 22 to 25 

 under the fourth toe. 



Caudal scales more or less distinctly in alternately longer and shorter 

 whorls, upper oblique, truncate, strongly and diagonally keeled, lower 

 less strongly keeled ; 26 to 30 scales in the fourth whorl behind the 

 postanal granules. 



Two black, light-edged streaks along the back ; a black vertebral 

 streak on the nape, sometimes continued down the whole length of the 



VOL. II. 2 



