236—28 INDIAN TERTIARY AND POST-TERTIARY VERTEBRATA. 
referred to the present group, and apparently attained a length of between four and 
five feet. From the upper eocene phosphorites of Quercy Gervais^ has described a 
fragment of the cranium of a varanoid lizard under the name of Varanus (?) mm'- 
garitiferus ; while an imperfect mandibular ramus from the same deposits is described 
by Dr. FilhoP as Palceovaranus cayluxi, who adds, however, that it is very 
probably identical with Gervais’ species, in which case the former specific name 
should stand. Whether the Quercy forms be really generically distinct or not, it is 
evident that the group is an old one. 
Species. Varanus sivalensis. Falconer.^ 
History . — The one specimen on which this species is founded is figured in 
Falconer’s “ Palaeontological Memoirs,” vol. I. pi. XXXII. figs. 4-7 without 
description. 
Humerus.— above-mentioned specimen, which is figured of the natural size 
in plate XXXV. figs. 1,1a, lb, was obtained from the Siwalik Hills, and is preserved 
in the British Museum. It comprises the distal portion of the right humerus, which 
with the exception of the loss of the sharp ridge (restored in outline) on the 
radial, or outer, border, is complete, and exhibits very clearly the articular surfaces ; 
the ectepicondylar foramen (/w), although filled with matrix, is distinctly visible. 
Compared with the corresponding element in a skeleton of Varanus salvator in the 
British Museum measuring six feet in length, the present specimen agrees so precisely 
in every detail of form, that there can be no question as to its belonging to a 
member of the same genus. As the greatest transverse diameter of the distal end of 
the recent humerus is T3, while that of the fossil 2'4 inches, the length of the animal 
to which the latter belonged would be eleven feet — or fully four feet longer than the 
largest recorded individual of the existing species. 
Specific distinctness . — The great excess in the size of the fossil over the living 
Varanus salvator may in all probability be regarded as a good specific character, and 
the name V. sivalensis may therefore be adopted. Since V. salvator is a coast- 
frequenting species it may, moreover, be not improbable that the Siwalik form was 
more closely allied to one of the smaller species now inhabiting the North-West 
Provinces and Punjab than to the former. 
Order. OPHIDIA. 
Family. PYTHONIBHi. 
Genus. PYTHON, Daudin.^ 
Distribution . — At the present day the genus Python (in which the writer includes 
the African so-called Hortidia) is confined to Africa and the Oriental region ; being 
represented in Australia by Morelia. In the Indian region there are but two species 
(which are also the sole representatives of the family in that region), viz. — P. molurus 
1 “ Zool. et Pal. Generales,” ser. 2. p. 60. (1876). 
3 “ Pala30ntological Memoirs,” vol. I. pi. XXXII. (1868). 
4 “ Hist. Nat. Rept.” vol. V. p. 226 (no date—? 1802), 
2 ‘Ann. Sci. Geol.’ vol. VIII. art. 1. p. 268. (1877). 
