OCR Text |
Show 466 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON THE [Api*. 5, to the end of the third toe is less than the distance from the ear-opening to the end of the snout, whilst the two measurements are identical in P. rupestris. The proportions of the limbs to the body, however, in the British-Museum specimens of P. flavipunctatus agree with those assigned to the species by Peters. The following measurements show, in parts of a metre, the differences in these species. The dimensions of P. longipes are those given by Peters; those of P. rupestris are from one of the largest Socotran specimens; those of P. flavipunctatus, from one of the specimens received from Riippell. P. Ion- P. rupes- P. flavi-gipes. tris. punctatus. Head and body, from nose to anus ... 0040 0030 0-032 Head alone 0*009 0009 0-009 Foreleg 0021 0-015 0013 Fore foot, to end of third finger 0 007 0005 0-004 Hind leg 0030 0020 00175 Hind foot, to end of third toe 0012 0008 0065 The specimens of P. rupestris, from Socotra, have for the most part a broad rufous band down the middle of the back. The sides of the back and the flanks are dark brown, spotted or striped with very light brown; there are one or two pale bands down the sides, and one conspicuous pale stripe below the eye, from the lower labials. The lower parts of the flanks and the sides of the belly have small brick-red spots dotted over them. This coloration differs in no important particular from that of Muscat and Persian-Gulf specimens. P R I S T U R U S INSIGNIS, sp. nov. (Plate XLII. fig. 1.) P. major, gracilis, squamis minimis undique indutus; cauda compressa sed crista carente; pede posteriore antice adducto ante aurem jungcnte, anteriore ante extremitatem rostri. Long, tota 0*147 met., cauda? 0*095, capitis 0*014, pedis posterioris ab inguine 0*038. Much larger than the other species of the genus, and without any enlarged or spinose scales along the upper edge of the tail, which is elongate, attenuate, and compressed, as in the other forms, General form very slender ; limbs and toes long, the fore limb laid back extends to the groin, and laid forwards extends beyond the snout by the length of the hand, the hind limb laid forwards reaches to beyond the ear. Scales of the back and sides minute, granular, those of the belly scarcely larger, but less convex. Tail-scales larger than those of the back, and becoming imbricate behind; the upper edge of the tail sharply compressed, but without any enlarged scales, lower edge rounded, with a row of larger smooth imbricate subcaudals, the scales on each side of the subcaudals forming a passage in size into the ordinary tail-scales. Scales above the limbs like those on the back, those beneath the forearm and tarsus larger. Beneath the feet, the scales of the soles are small and granular, with the exception of rows of larger scales from the first and fifth fingers to the wrist, and from the first toe to the heel. The fingers and toes are |