406 
G. J. DE FEJÉRVÁRY 
sivalensis would be, according to Lydekker (1. c.), «fully four feet longer, 
than the largest recorded individual of the existing species», gave rise to 
doubts on my part as to the justness of the generic determination of this 
form. However a detailed comparison of Lydekker’s figures with recent 
humeri of Monitors convinced me of the Siwalik form being undoubt¬ 
edly a true Varanus, and its bulkiness might thus be regarded merely 
as an analogous case of a well known phenomenon in various classes of 
Vertebrates, the Pliocenic predecessors of which where characterized by 
a considerably larger and robuster skeleton, degenerated in their Holocene 
epigones. 
From V. sivalensis the distal portion of a right humerus (type-speci¬ 
men) is knowrn (Textfig-i.il & 12) and Lydekker 1 2 has yet referred to this spe¬ 
cies the «distal extremity of the right femur of a 
smaller individual» (Brit. Mus. Nat. Hist. No. R. 
1009) as well as an «imperfect anterior dorsal ver¬ 
tebra» and a «larger posterior dorsal vertebra, 
wanting the neural spine» (Brit. Mus. Nos. R. 
739a & R. 740). 2 The femur and the dorsal ver¬ 
tebra ultimately mentioned are unfortunately not 
represented, which, on my part, prevents any 
opinion regarding their specific or generic de¬ 
termination. The vertebra figured already by 
Lydekker in two different view’s in his 
report on the fauna of the Karnul Caves, one 
of which was published later also in the Catalogue 
(Fig. 65), appears to belong to this species, and 
no reason seems to justify any doubt concerning 
this determination accepted up to now by all 
herpetologists. 
The humerus, as stated by Lydekker, bears 
a very close resemblance to «the corresponding 
element in a skeleton of Varanus salvator.» 3 The morphological and 
metrical conditions of this bone may be examined on the copy (Textfig. 
11) in natural size given from the original drawings published by Lydekker, 
which appear to be more precise than the four — though most artistic — 
1 Catal. p. 283-284. 
2 Lydekker notes in his publication of 1892 in the Pah Ind. under the same 
number (R. 740) «an imperfect cervical vertebra», which proved later on, as stated by 
him in his Catalogue (1. c., 2 d footnote), to be a Chelonian rest. 
3 Palæont. Ind. Ser. X, Vol. Ill, p. 236. 
Fig. 12. f Varanus sivalensis 
Falc. Lateral view of same 
humerus from its radial side. 
— 2 / 3 nat. size. — From Mr. 
J. Dinkel’ s original drawing 
in Falconer’s «Memoirs» PI. 
32, Fig. 6. 
