REPTILES. 1 7 



Proctotretus multimaculatus. 



Plate IX. — Fig. 1. 



Corpore subclepresso ; capite squamis numerosis parvis tecto ; auribus parvis, margine 

 IcBvi ; seriebus quatuor squamarum supralabialium ; squamis temporum imbricatis ; 

 collo granuloso ; femorum facie posteriore partim granulosa, partim squamis imbri- 

 catis tectd. 



Proctotretus multimaculatus, Bibr. 1. c. p. 291. 



Habitat, Bahia Blanca, Northern Patagonia. 



Description. — The body depressed and wide — the head triangular, the muzzle rather acute. 

 Nostrils prominent and nearly round. Scales of the head very small and numerous ; those of 

 the temple rhomboidal and imbricated. There are four series of small irregular scales between 

 the labial and sub-orbitar. The sides of the neck are wholly granular ; the scales of the body 

 very small ; those of the upper parts rhomboidal, flat with very low carina, and obtuse at 

 the apex — beneath they are also small and rhomboidal ; the posterior surface of the thighs is 

 granular, but, as in some other species, there is, near the groin, a distinct patch of imbricated 

 scales like those of the inferior surface. The tail is broad to some distance from the origin, 

 and then tapers to the extremity. The scales of the tail are rather small, short and obtuse. 



The anterior extremity placed against the sides reaches about two-thirds the distance 

 towards the posterior, and the latter reaches forwards to the shoulder. 



The ground colour of this species is gray, with numerous small black spots, some of which 

 are bordered with white. The under parts are white, and in one specimen in Mr. Darwin's 

 collection there are on the belly numerous distinct small black spots. His description of the 

 colours is as follows : — " Colours above singularly mottled. The small scales are coloured 

 brown, white, yellowish red and blue, all dirty, and the brown forming symmetrical clouds. 

 Beneath white, with regular spots of brown on the belly." 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. Lines. 



Length of the head 8 



ofthebody 1 8 



of the tail 3 



Total length ... 5 6 



Length of anterior extremity 1 



of posterior extremity 1 6 



Found at Bahia Blanca, on the northern confines of Patagonia. The follow- 

 ing remarks of Mr. Darwin on the habits of this species are very interesting. " In 

 its depressed form and general appearance it partakes of some of the characters 



D 



