VARANID. 303 
nostrils small, oval, obliquely directed upwards and backwards, 
nearer the end of the snout than the eye. Body elongate. Limbs 
short, with short, thick, feebly compressed digits; claws short and 
not much compressed. Tail roundish, feebly depressed at the base, 
tapering gradually, as long as head and body. Head covered with 
small tubercular scales, larger on the snout and forehead, largest of 
all on the temples. Back and upper surface of tail with regular 
longitudinal rows of large wart-like tubercles, each bearing a horny 
keeled scale, which does not entirely cover the protuberance; these 
tubercles form six series on the back ; the space between them is 
covered by juxtaposed small flat tubercles. The lower surface of the 
head with small scales like those on the snout and forehead, but 
more convex, gradually increasing in size towards the neck; a 
slight symphiseal groove on the chin. The abdominal scales slightly 
imbricate, flat, becoming rather pointed towards the end of the 
body, passing gradually into the tubercles of the sides. The scales 
on the the lower surface of the tail like those on the belly, but 
square and not imbricate, forming regular rows. Reddish brown 
above; lower surfaces, with the exception of the head, yellow, with 
brown band-like marblings. 
millim. millim, 
Head and body.... 20 Fore limb ........ 3 
Pa: 2 aaiea alias 22 Hind limb........ 4 
Sarawak. 
Fam. 12. VARANIDZ. 
Lacertiens, part., Cuvier, Regne Anim. ii. 1817. 
Tupinambide, part., Gray, dan. Phil. (2) x. 1825. 
Ameivoidea, part., Fitzinger, Neue Classif. Rept. 1826. 
Uaranide, Gray, Phil. Mag. (2) ii. 1827. 
Thecoglossze pleurodontes, part., Wagler, Syst. Amph. 1830. 
Monitores, Wieymann, Herp, Mex. 1354. 
Varaniens, part., Dumeril § Bibron, Erp. Gén. iii. 1836. 
Monitoride, Gray, Ann. N. H. i, 1838, and Cat. Ltz. 1845, 
Varanide, Cope, Proc. Ac. Philad. 1864. 
Varanidee, Boulenger, Ann. § Mag. N. H. (5) xiv. 1884. 
Tongue smooth, very long and slender, bifid, retractile into a 
sheath at the base. Teeth large, dilated at the base, which is fixed 
to the inner side of the jaws; palate toothless. Premaxillary 
single, narrowed and much prolonged posteriorly; nasal bones 
coalesced, narrow ; two frontals; a single parietal; a supraorbital 
bone; postorbital arch incomplete; a bony postfrontosquamosal 
arch; pterygoids and palatines widely separated ; infraorbital fossa 
bounded by the pterygoid, palatine, and transverse bone, the maxillary 
being excluded. No dermal cranial ossifications; head covered 
with small polygonal scales. yelids well developed ; ear-opening 
distinct. Limbs well developed; clavicle slender; interclavicle 
