between angle of jaw and base of hinder leg, well developed. The scales of
the back and sides quadrangular, and disposed in transverse rows, each with a
strong keel along its centre, and others less developed towards the sides.
Scales of the upper and lateral portions of the tail similarly shaped to those of
the body, but have only the central keel, which forms a projecting point behind
; mental plate large and semicircular behind ; to this plate succeed
four other plates, the two hinder ones the largest; the throat and breast
are coated with large imbricate somewhat six-sided scales, broadest transversely,
and arranged in longitudinal rows. The plates of the belly are disposed
in transverse rows, eight in each, are of a quadrangular form and perfectly
smooth. Scales of the lower surface of the tail rather long, narrow, and
slightly rounded at the point. Fore legs slender and covered with smooth,
imbricate, somewhat six-sided scales; hinder legs anteriorly and inferiorly
with scales of a like description only larger, posteriorly, with small triangular
ones strongly carinated, the carina forming the apex of each; scales on soles
of feet small and slightly granular. Femoral pores twelve, and nearly quite
concealed by the row of plates immediately in front of them. Preanal plates
three in a row, the central one triangular with its apex pointing backwards.
Toes of fore feet short and slender, the inner, that which corresponds to what
is called the great toe, shortest, the second considerably longer, the third the
longest, the fourth a little shorter than the third, and the outermost rather
longer than the innermost. The third and fourth toes of the hinder feet are
much longer than those of the fore feet, and the third exceeds considerably in
length the fourth; the outer and second toes are also much longer than the
corresponding ones of the fore feet.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the nose to the base of
the tail............................... 4 6
of the tail ........................... 6 6
from nose to meatus extemus 0 9
Inches. Lines.
Length from nose to base of fore legs 0 11
Distance between fore and hinder legs 8 0
Length of fore legs to toes ............... 0 9
of hinder legs to toes........... 1 2
Female.—As regards the colouring the two sexes are nearly alike, but the
female is more robust than the male, and the tail proportionally shorter.
The only specimens of this Lizard which I have seen, were obtained towards the sources of
the Caledon, one of the principal branches of the Orange River. They were all discovered in
the dark and shaded ravines which form breaks in the Quathlamba mountains, and when
they were pursued they sought concealment under the dead leaves and decaying wood which
abounded in the ravines in question.
GERRHOSAURUS TYPICUS.
R e p t il ia .— P l a t e XXXVIII. F ig . 2.
G. superne aurantio-brunneus, infeme griseo-albus, lined flava pone oculos incipiente et lined nigro in
utroque latere marginata, ilia versus apicem, his pone basin .caudæ desinentibus ; corporis lateribus
nigro brunneo-umbratis et labeculis triangularibus variegatis, scuto occipitale quinquelaterale.
L o n g it u d o è naso ad basin caudæ 4 une. 6 lin. ; caudæ 6 une. 6 lin.
P leürotuchus t y p ic u s , Smith, Mag. Zool. and Botany, vol. i. p. 143.
G er rh o sau rus t y p ic u s , Dum. et Bib. Erpet, Général, tom. v. p. 383.
C o l o u r .—The upper and lateral parts of the head, the back, and the upper
and lateral parts of the tail deep orange-coloured brown, the two latter with
two contiguous longitudinal stripes on each side, the external stripe the
narrowest and pale cream-yellow, the internal deep liver-brown, fading at its
inner edge into the tint of the centre of the back ; the light stripe commences
immediately over and above the eye, and terminates near the point of the tail, though on the latter it is not so defined as on the former ; the dark one
commencés at the hind head, and is lost about the middle of the tail. The
sides are variegated with several series of irregular light yellow spots, which
are most distinctly defined between the fore and hinder legs, and in addition
to these spots there are also others of a liver-coloured brown. The variegations
on the sides of the tail are confusedly disposed, and in many places run
into each other. The under parts and the inner surface of the extremities
dull cream-yellow, inclined to greyish yellow. Eyes orange coloured brown.
F o rm , &c .—Figure fusiform, the tail very long and slender towards the
point. Head small, short, and tapered towards the nose, which is obtusely
pointed. Body quadrangular, the angles rounded, and the back and sides
but more especially the latter convex. Tail quadrangular towards its base,
cylindrical towards the point. The naso-rostral plates sub-hemispherical,
and the nostrils towards their centre ; superciliary plates four in number,
the two central ones the largest, and externally all are edged with a row of narrow, oblong plates, which form the upper edge of the orbit ; fronto-parietal
plates subcordate, the apical portion directed outwards ; parietal plates foursided,
the inner side of each much shorter than the outer, and is as well as the
hinder angle of the fronto-parietal separated from its fellow of the opposite side
by the intervention of a small five-sided occipital plate ; internasal plate
large and diamond-shaped. Temporal plates seven or eight, each many-
sided, and of various sizes, the smallest ones towards the centre. Scales of
upper lip six in number, the fourth, from rostral plate ; the longest, those of