98 
F. Stoliczka — On Indian Lizards. 
[No. 1 
9. H. Coctjei* (I. K, p. 109). 
Theobald, Cat. Rept. As. Soc. Mus. 186?, p. 29. 
Steindaohner, Novara Rept , Pt. I, p. 13. 
H. BengaMensis, Anderson, Jonrn. A. S. B„ vol. xl, p. 14. 
This is the most common species all through Bengal, whence it was 
originally described by Dum. and Bibron. The thumb is well developed, as 
noted by the French authors and by Cantor, but the claw small, as observed 
by Dr. Gunther, who identified Bolt, sublcevis, Gray, with the present species. 
The back is generally equally granular ; sometimes there are a few larger 
rounded tubercles present on the sacral region, more rarely also on the sides 
of the back, the variations being in this respect exactly similar to those 
noticed in II. Leschenaultii. The larger tubercle on the side of the neck, 
stated by Dr. Anderson to distinguish Bengaliensis from Coetmi is quite as often 
present as it is absent. Tail, when original, segmented, with one or two 
large elongate scale-like lateral tubercles near the base, and 2 to 3 smaller 
ones on the upper sides, but as a rule none along the middle ; subcaudals 
enlarged. On reproduced portions of the tail, there are sometimes a few large 
scales present at the lateral edges, but more commonly the tail remains quite 
smooth. I have never seen, even in the largest specimens, more than 8 
femoral pores in each row, they being widely separated in the preaual region ; 
the usual number of pores is six in each row, rarely less. 
During life, the general colour is greenish grey, with 5 transverse, broad 
undulating greenish brown bands, the first on the neck, the fifth on the loin, 
and all edged with white posteriorly ; the tail is similarly banded above, and 
the white edgings are often more conspicuous ; a pale band through the eye 
on the side of the head, margined with dark above and below, and generally 
becoming obsolete on the neck. The iris is reddish golden, pupil narrow, black 
with undulating edges. The animal changes its coloration very rapidly 
during life, sometimes the transverse bands turn almost to blackish brown, 
and another time they become quite obsolete. In spirits the brown tints 
partially, and in time entirely, fade. Below white, most of the scales 
generally very minutely punctated with black. Old specimens, particularly 
the females, have the tail at the base often very bulging, depressed, and 
nearly three-fourths of an inch broad. 
I have not seen specimens of this species from farther southwards than 
Orissa, but it is very numerous in Western Bengal, extending through the 
North West Provinces up to the foot of the hills at Kangra and Hurdwar, 
westward into the Panjab and eastward into the lower parts of Sikkim, the 
Khasi hills, Cachar and the whole of the Gangetic delta. I did not obtain 
it in Burma, but two specimens have been sent to me stated to have been 
procured in Pegu. Dum. and Bibron record it from Bombay, which very 
# ? Is the right name Coctecmi f 
