NAIA HAJE. 
as compared with the other plates ; they are irregularly five-sided, two sides 
referable to the external margin of each, one to the point, one to the base, 
and the fifth extends the whole length of the inner side. The sides of the 
head before the eyes are nearly perpendicular, behind the eyes prominent 
and convex : the nose is rather blunt, and the nasal plate, which is large, has . 
towards the margin of the lip a deep semicircular concavity, the convexity of 
which is directed upwards ; anteocular scales one, postocular scales generally 
three ; the last but one of the labial scales of the upper lip very large, and in 
adult specimens generally reaches as high as the postocular scales, and 
covers a portion of the sides of the head, the remaining parts of the sides are 
covered by a few large irregular scales, excepting in young specimens, in 
which these scales are out of proportion small, as compared with what they 
are in adults. The scales of the hindhead and the commencement of the neck 
irregular as regards size, each with four distinct sides, and two other more or 
less developed, according as the base and apex of each scale are more or less 
pointed. The scales on the other parts of the neck and body are lengthened, 
rather narrow, and of a more or less ovate form, and are disposed in lines, 
which may either be traced as running obliquely across from one side of the 
abdomen to the other, or as forming angles on the middle of the back, with 
the point of each angle considerably behind the extremities of these lines, 
which will be understood best by reference to the appearances exhibited in 
the plates. Approaching the tail the scales change their character, though 
they retain the same mode of arrangement ; instead of being ovate they 
assume a somewhat quadrangular form, diminish in length and increase 
in width, and the sides constituting the base and apex are oblique. On 
the tail, again, they exhibit a different figure, one more approaching 
to that of the scales of the hindhead being more or less six-sided, the two 
sides constituting the base and apex being more or less developed : the point 
of the tail is either blunt or accuminated, and in either case is covered with a 
corneous sheath. The skin of the neck is loose, and too capacious for the 
parts it has to cover : hence, when not excited, the exuberant portion is 
disposed in two folds, one along each side, close to the abdominal plates. 
The skin of the body is moderately loose, but not too large for the parts 
beneath it, and that of the tail is intimately united to the internal parts, and 
not to be raised in the least, except the connecting membrane be destroyed. 
The abdominal plates are moderately wide, and the posterior edge of each is 
longer than the anterior, and terminates in an angle between two of the 
scales ot the inferior lateral row : the subcaudal scales six-sided, the angle 
formed by the union of the two external sides received between two of the 
