Tachydromiis. 133 



suture* ; frontal as long as its distance from the end of the snout, 1| 

 to 2 times as long as broad, usually narrower behind than in front ; 

 parietals as long as broad or a little longer than broad (up to 1-|-) ; 

 interparietal H to 2 times as long as broad ; occipital small, much 

 shorter than the interparietal, often separated from it by the parietals 

 meeting in the middle, sometimes reduced to a granule. Pour supra- 

 oculars, first very small, rarely in contact with the frontal,t second 

 and third equal or second the larger, fourth small but larger than the 

 first ; 4, rarely 5, superciliaries, first or first and second longest ; a 

 complete or, more often, incomplete series of granules between the 

 supraoculars and the superciliaries, exceptionally reduced to 2 or 3 

 granules. Nasal forming a suture with the anterior loreal, above the 

 small postnasal^ ; anterior loreal shorter than the second ; 4 upper 

 labials, rarely 3,§ anterior to the subooular, which is narrower beneath 

 than above. Temporal scales small, more or less distinctly keeled ; 

 two or three enlarged upper temporals, the first not in contact with 

 the fourth supraocular; tympanic shield present. 



Mental broader than long; 4 pairs of chin-shields, || the two or three 

 anterior meeting in the middle ; 18 to 25 gular scales between the 

 symphysis of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate, anterior 

 granular, smooth, posterior enlarged, imbricate, pointed, smooth or 

 more frequently feebly keeled and merging gradually into the collar, 

 which is composed of 9 to 12 pointed, smooth or keeled plates. No 

 gular fold. 



Dorsal plates obtusely pointed or rounded behind, in 4 or 6 longi- 

 tudinal series, with 1 or 2 series of smaller plates on the median line, 

 making 5 to 7 series altogether ; sides with one upper and 3 to 6 lower 

 series of keeled scales and an intermediate granular area. Ventral plates 

 in 8 longitudinal and 22 to 25 transverse series, the outer pointed and 

 keeled, the others also pointed or rounded or truncate behind, smooth 

 or feebly keeled. 29 to 35 plates and scales round the middle of the 

 body. Preanal plate large, smooth, very rarely longitudinally 

 divided,T[ bordered by one semicircle of small plates. 



Upper surface of limbs with rhombic keeled scales, much smaller 



* Sometimes a small azygos shield separates them, according to Stejneger. 



t Absent on one side in a female in the Lataste Collection. 



X The postnasal is absent and the first loreal transversely divided into two 

 in a female from Japan (Hilgendorf). 



§ 3 on both sides in a female from Tsu Shima, on one side in a female from 

 Takanori. 



II One exception with 3 and one with 5 out of 66 specimens examined by 

 Stejneger. 3 chin-shields on one side and 4 on the other in the type of T. holsti. 



% Female from Nagasaki. 



