Tropidosaura. 161 



obtuse, as long as the distance between the eye and the tympanum. 

 Parietal foramen pi-eseut. Pterygoid teeth present. Neck as broad 

 as the head. Limbs short, just meeting when adpressed, or hind 

 limb reaching the wrist; foot not or but little longer than the head; 

 digits short. Tail H to 2| times the length of head and body. 



Nostril pierced between two or three shields. Nasals forming a 

 short suture, or rostral forming a narrow or broad suture with the 

 frontonasal, which is broader than long and broader than the inter- 

 narial space, and longer than the suture between Ihe prefrontals; 

 frontal as long as or a little longer than its distance from the end of 

 the snout. If to 2^ times as long as broad, as broad as or a little 

 broader than the supraoculars, of equal width throughout ; fronto- 

 parietals much shorter than the frontal ; parietals 1^ to If times as 

 long as broad ; interparietal If to 2 times as long as broad ; occipital 

 small, its posterior border convex and projecting beyond the parietals. 

 Four supraoculars, first very small or reduced to a granule, second 

 longer than third, fourth small but much larger than first ; four 

 superciliaries, in contact with the supraoculars, second usually longest. 

 Usually two superposed postnasals,* the lower exceptionally forming 

 a suture with the rostralt ; anterior loreal as long as or a little shorter 

 than second; 4 upper labials anterior to the subocular, which is much 

 narrower beneath than above and borders the mouth. Two large 

 upper temporals, as in Lacerta agilis, first forming a broad suture 

 with the fourth supraocular; a series of small shields between the 

 upper temporals and the parietals exceptionally present^ ; temple with 

 moderate or lather large shields, the upper of which may be keeled ; a 

 large tympanic shield. 



Gular scales large and imbricate, passing gradually into the ventrals ; 

 no gular fold.§ 



25 to 31 scales and plates round the body ; dorsals and laterals much 

 longer than broad, strongly keeled and mucronate ; ventral plates in 

 6 longitudinal and 23 to 26 transverse series, those of the second row 

 from the median line broader than the others. A large or rather 

 large preanal plate, bordered by one or two semicircles of smaller 

 plates. 



Scales on upper surface of tibia rhombic, subimbricate, keeled. 4 to 



* A single shield in one of the types of T. burchelli (male). 



t In a male from Peri Bush. 



X In another male from Peri Bush. 



§ In one of the types of T. iurcheUi, female, there are only four pairs of large 

 chin-shields instead of the usual five, the two anterior forming a median 

 suture. 



VOL. II. 11 



