Algiroides. 349 



rugose and strongly keeled; tympanic shield absent, or if present, 

 narrrow. 



Grular scales feebly keeled, small and juxtaposed in front, much 

 larger and imbricate towards the collar, 19 to 29 (usually 21 to 25), 

 between the symphysis of the chin-shields* and the median collar-plate ; 

 gular fold absent or barely indicated. Collar with feebly serrated 

 edge, composed of 7 to 9 (rarely 6) plates, which may be faintly 

 keeled. 



Dorsal scales rhombic, obtusely pointed or rounded behind, with fine 

 oblique striation and strong diagonal keels, converging towards the 

 median line ; lateral scales smaller, one and two dr two and three 

 corresponding to a ventral plate ; 18 to 24 scales across the middle 

 of the body. Ventral plates feebly imbricate, in 6 longitudinal series, 

 the median and outer much narrower than the others, the outer often 

 faintly keeled ; 18 to 21 (rarely 22) transverse series. Preanal plate 

 rather large, with one or two smaller azygos plates in front of it and 

 small scales on the sides. 



Upper surface of tibia with large rhombic keeled scales. 12 to 17 

 femoral pores on each side. 17 to 19 lamellar scales imder the 

 fourth toe. 



Caudal scales large and broad, very strongly keeled, obtusely pointed 

 and sometimes slightly mucronate behind, in alternately somewhat 

 longer and shorter whorls, the fourth or fifth of which contains 14 to 18 

 scales. 



Coppery or bronzy brown above, with metallic gloss, with a broad 

 dark brown lateral band from the end of the snout to the base of the 

 tail, edged above and beneath by a series of round whitish spots, which 

 are confluent into a streak from below the eye, through the lower part 

 of the ear-opening, to the shoulder ; small black spots on the back ; 

 taU dark brown above, with regular transverse series of whitish spots 

 or with dark and light bars. Lower parts orange in life (green in 

 spirit), the throat yellowish. ' 



Measurements (in millimetres) : 



* TJsTially three chin-shields in contact with their fellows, as normal in the 

 genus^ but exceptionally only two, or two on one side and three on the other. 



