_Corpore subdepresso; capite squamis numerosis parvis tecto; auribus
parvis, margine lævi; seriebus quatuor squamarum supralabialium;
squamis temporum imbricatis; collo granuloso; femorum facie
posteriore partìm granulosâ, partìm squamis imbricatis tectâ._
_Proctotretus multimaculatus_, Bibr. l. c. p. 291.
Habitat, Bahia Blanca, Northern Patagonia.
DESCRIPTION.—The body depressed and wide—the head triangular, the
muzzle rather acute. Nostrils prominent and nearly round. Scales
of the head very small and numerous; those of the temple
rhomboidal and imbricated. There are four series of small
irregular scales between the labial and suborbitar. The sides of
the neck are wholly granular; the scales of the body very small;
those of the upper parts rhomboidal, flat with very low carina,
and obtuse at the apex—beneath they are also small and rhomboidal;
the posterior surface of the thighs is granular, but, as in some
other species, there is, near the groin, a distinct patch of
imbricated scales like those of the inferior surface. The tail is
broad to some distance from the origin, and then tapers to the
extremity. The scales of the tail are rather small, short and
obtuse.
The anterior extremity placed against the sides reaches about
two-thirds the distance towards the posterior, and the latter
reaches forwards to the shoulder.
The ground colour of this species is gray, with numerous small
black spots, some of which are bordered with white. The under
parts are white, and in one specimen in Mr. Darwin’s collection
there are on the belly numerous distinct small black spots. His
description of the colours is as follows:—“Colours above
singularly mottled. The small scales are coloured brown, white,
yellowish red and blue, all dirty, and the brown forming
symmetrical clouds. Beneath white, with regular spots of brown on
the belly.”
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length of the head 0 8
of the body 1 8
of the tail 3 0
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Total length 5 6
Length of anterior extremity 1 0
of posterior extremity 1 6
Found at Bahia Blanca, on the northern confines of Patagonia. The
following remarks of Mr. Darwin on the habits of this species are very
interesting. “In its depressed form and general appearance it partakes
of some of the characters of the Geckos. Its habits are singular. It
lives on the dry sand of the beach, at some distance from the
vegetation, and the colour of the body much resembles that of the sand.
When frightened it depresses its body, stretches out its legs, and
closing its eyes tries to escape detection. If pursued it buries itself
with great quickness in the sand; but as its legs are short, it cannot
run very swiftly.”