diately under the rostral canthus. Eyes large; pupil oval and vertical;
eyelid, which is confined to the upper and inner part of the eye, narrow, and
covered with small granular scales, margined with a row of larger ones.
External ear-opening narrow, oblique, broadest below, and in a line with the
angle of the mouth. Rostral plate large, oblong, subquadrangular, and
partially divided horizontally by a slender groove, which extends from one
extremity to the other; nasal plates small, quadrangular, and separated from
each other by two smaller, somewhat granular plates ; behind those a second
row of four smaller ones, the outermost of each side forming the edge of the
nostril; plates of upper lip, exclusive of rostral plate, eleven or twelve, of
lower lip, exclusive of mental plate, eleven ; mental plate square. On the under
surface of the lower jaw, bordering the labial plates, a row of smaller ones,
which decrease in size towards the hinder extremities of the jaw. The scales
of the upper lip, edged superiorly by a row of granular scales, larger than
those on the other parts of the head. Scales of the upper and lateral parts
of the head, very small, circular, convex, and closely set, but not imbricate.
Scales on the body and tail rather larger than those of the head; on the
back, sides, and belly, they are flat; on the tail, slightly convex. On the
body, they are arranged in rows more or less oblique.; on the tail, in nearly
circular rings. The scales on the middle of the back, and upper surface of
the tail, are subcircular, or slightly six-sided; on the sides, belly, and under
surface of the tail, ovate or six-sided, and slightly imbricate. The scales on
the under surface of the tail larger than those on the upper surface. Scales
of the under surface of the head, between the branches of the lower jaw, very
small and granular. Toes strongly depressed, broadest near the point, and
all, excepting the innermost of each foot, armed with a slender, highly curved
claw. The upper portion of each toe is covered with small subovate seales,
slightly imbricate; the lower coated with ten or twelve transverse membranous
plates, each slightly arched backwards, the two or three most
distant from the point very short; behind these, the remainder of the under
surface consists of small scales, the largest along the centre line of the toe.
Length from nose to base of tail 2 inches 8 lines ; length of tail 1 inch
10 lines.
Inhabits the country to the eastward of the Cape Colony; and the only specimen 1
have seen was procured by Mr. Walberg, oLStockholm, while travelling in Kafferland. To
the liberality of this gentleman and Professor Sunderwall, I am indebted for the opportunity
of figuring and describing the species.
R e p t x l ia .— P l a t e 75.— F ig . 2.
P. superhe auranteo-albus, capita postice macula nigro-brunnea falcata marginato, dorao inter scapulas
macula ovata et corporb postice tribus fasciis latis nigro-brunneis variegatis; iateribus nigro-brunueis;
partibus inferioribus viridi-flavis; squamis partim tuberculosis conicis, partim parvis granulosis.
Lonqztudo e nasi apice ad basin candee -j unc.; caudee ?
C o l o u r .— The upper surface of the head rusty orange-coloured white,
faintly clouded with brownish red, apex of the nose clear orange-coloured
white; sides of head pale brownish red, tinted with orange-coloured white.
Head posteriorly bounded by a deep brownish red, crescent-shaped band
speckled with white; this mark extends from one eye to the other, and its
hinder edge at the middle of the back is bifurcate. On the vertebral line
between the fore legs, a deep oval brownish red spot, broadly edged with
orange coloured white, which before and behind is broken into three projecting
points, anteriorly the outermost on each side prolonged forwards in
the form of a broad band till it reaches the angle of the mouth. Back
and sides deep brownish red, the former variegated with three irregular
transverse orange-coloured white bars, the last immediately behind the base
of the tail. Extremities externally rusty orange-coloured white. Under
surface of head, breast, and belly greenish white, speckled with minute
greenish brown spots. Lips straw-yellow, barred perpendicularly with light
brownish red. The reproduced tail pale yellowish brown, variegated with
numerous short black lines placed longitudinally.
F o rm , & c .—Head long and subovate, temples rather prominent, sides of
head nearly perpendicular and converge towards the nose, the latter is
narrow and rounded ; nostrils small, circular, and situated close to the rostral
plate, anteriorly formed by the nasal and posteriorly by a narrow post-nasal
plate. Eyes large; pupil vertical; upper eyelid narrow and externally
covered with small conical scales; no vestige of the lower lid. External ear