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Show 1871.] DR. J. ANDERSON ON INDIAN REPTILES. 201 in his young specimen, measuring 19 lines. The first peculiarity is that the back is covered over with very minute (microscopic) tubercles, that tend to arrange themselves in a linear manner. A series of these tubercles constitute the outline of the triangular brown spot on the crown, and also of the Y-shaped mark on the nape, and of other anastomosing lines on the back behind it. There is usually a line of them running along the side of the back. All of these lines have a beaded appearance, and are very fine, and not discernible in some specimens, nor in adults. The triangular black spot extending between the eyes has a very fine white margin, and sometimes encloses a light-coloured spot in its centre. In the light-coloured variety there are a number of dark-coloured spots with pale margins, arranged in a circle round a central one, with smaller spots about them. The Y-shaped mark has also an obscure white margin. The sides are generally black-spotted. In the dark variety, the chin, throat, and thorax are black, marbled with whitish ; more so on the belly, the posterior third of which is immaculate yellow. The upper lip with four black bars on each side. A black band from the eye below the canthus rostralis to the snout; a black band over the eye through the tympanum; a very delicate yellowish line along the canthus rostralis, the margin of the eyelid, and along the supra-tympanal fold to the shoulder. A black band from the vent along the back of the thighs, with a white margin above and a white spot near its termination on the lower third of the thigh. Limbs barred with brown. Palms and soles black, with a bright yellow external margin. In the pale-coloured variety all these markings are the same, only less intensely marked. I have a specimen of Dr. Jerdon's X. gigas beside me, but I find that it in no way differs from the Darjeeling large specimens, which are the adults of this species. Hab. Sikkim Himalaya, 3500 feet. I Temoved some land-shells from the stomach of this species large enough to form a good meal. CACOPUS GLOBULOSUS, Gthr. I. c. p. 416. I procured a specimen of this species in the Botanical Gardens, Calcutta, some years ago, but have never succeeded in obtaining another. It is an adult female, measuring 2" 6"', and the hind limb 2" 8'". This specimen, when brought to me, was distended in the same way as Giinther's young specimen, but I was unable to learn any thing of its habits. The ovaria are very small (June). Uniform brown above, yellow below. Besides the fold between the eyes, and descending to the angle of the mouth, there is a short obscure fold from below the posterior angle of the eye to the shoulder. This fold is very obscure on one side, but well marked on the other, and it may be a variable character. There are a number of minute black tubercles on the sides of the thighs external to the vent. The vomerine prominences appear to be more mucous folds than papillee. |
