(l^p tilia/ | Pia.te -4? ||
E C H ID N A I NORN AT A —S m it h .
R e p t il ia .— P late IV -
E supra flavo-brunuea, subtus brunneo-Hava, brurmeo marmoxata; caudi supra fusco-variegaU; oapite
distiucto oblongo cordifomu; soutis abdominalibus WO; scutis subcaudahbus sene dupbei col-
locatis circiter 24.
Colour.—Back and sides dark yellowish brown; belly brownish yellow,
sparingly sprinkled with brownish dots; tail above indistinctly marked with
dull brown spots or bars.
F orm, &c.—Head oblong, heart-shaped, and rounded at the nose, above
flat, with a slight hollow between the eyes, depending upon the superciliary
arches being considerably elevated; temples convex and bulging; nostrils
close to the extremity of the head, their openings directed forewards and outwards;
eyes lateral, and approaching the nostrils; neck considerably narrower
than the hindhead; the body increases in size till within about four
inches of the anus, where its thickness is greatest, from thence it tapers
gradually to the latter. The tail is very short and slender, and terminates m
a fine point. The scales on the nose and sides of the head in front of the eyes
rounded slightly convex, and smooth ; on the top of the head, and on the space
under the eyes and temples, they are rather oblong and slightly cannated;
the eyes surrounded by a complete ring of small plane scales. On the neck,
body, and tail, the scales are oval and slightly convex, each with a strong
carina along its centre, and are disposed in oblique rows across the back ; on
the tail and hinder part of the body, the points of the scales reach,
or even overlap the base of those directly behind them, whereby the carime
are contiguous and form a series of delicate uninterrupted longitudinal ridges.
On the remainder of the body they are more apart, and the continuous ridges
do not exist. DIMENSIONS. Inches. ;
Length from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the tail...... 13£
Length of the tail ..............■ •••••".................................................. 14
Circumference of the thickest part of the body........................... 2f