356 ■ S A U R I A. 



abdominal ones smooth, rounded, and some of them emarginated pos- 

 teriorly ; on the tail, larger than on the back ; under that organ, 

 smooth near the base, keeled further towards the apex. 



A colored sketch having been made in May, 1839, we have thus 

 before us the unchanged tints of, at least, one stage of growth of this 

 species. The ground color above is yellowish-brown : the upper sur- 

 face and sides of the head being unicolor. A black line may be traced 

 along the middle region of the back, on each side of which, and conti- 

 guous to it, is a series of dark brown, transversely elongated, oblique 

 spots, posteriorly margined with white ; their direction being downwards 

 and forwards from the dorsal line. These spots may still be observed on 

 the base of the tail, though gradually disappearing, leaving, to a certain 

 distance, the middle line isolated, which also fades away before it reaches 

 the tip of that organ. The upper portion of the flank exhibits a series 

 of broken-up spots, likewise edged with white posteriorly, and extend- 

 ing from the axilla to the groin. Upon the middle portion of the 

 flank may be observed a series of small, white spots, whilst the lower 

 portion of the same region is of a uniform brownish-gold hue. The 

 inferior surface of the head is dark bluish-black, white-speckled. The 

 abdomen and lower aspect of the limbs are light bluish-black also, 

 though unicolor. The tail beneath being yellowish. 



Loo. — From the middle region of the Cordilleras, at an altitude of 

 eight thousand feet. 



Plate XXYIII, fig. 26, represents Rhytidodeira oxycepliala, size of 

 life. 



Fig. 27, is an upper view of the head ; 

 Fig. 28, a profile of the same ; 

 Fig. 29, the head, seen from beneath. 

 Fig. 30, the left hand, from above ; 

 Fig. 31, the same hand, from beneath. 

 Fig. 32, a group of dorsal scales ; 

 Fig. 33, a group of abdominal scales. 

 Figs. 27-33, are somewhat magnified. 



