_Squamis capitis planis; caudâ corpore cum capite breviore._
Habitat, Port Desire.
DESCRIPTION.—Head thick and clumsy, longer than it is broad, muzzle
obtuse, suprà-orbital arches slightly elevated. Nostrils as in the
former species, in size, form, and situation. Ears subtriangular,
the margin simple. Neck considerably contracted, with a
longitudinal fold on each side, and a distinct transverse fold on
the throat. Body rather broad, slightly depressed, perfectly even,
without any central crest or elevation. The tail is shorter than
the head and body, slightly triangular at its base, tapering
regularly to its extremity. Limbs of moderate length; the toes of
each foot longer than in _D. Bibronii_, and those of the fore-feet
more unequal, the third being the longest, then the fourth, the
second, the fifth, and the first. The fore-legs placed against the
side reaches to about two-thirds of the distance between the
shoulder and thigh; the hinder foot placed in the same manner
reaches to the axilla.
The scales of the head are quite flat, a character in which this
species differs remarkably from the former, although in their
number and arrangement they are very similar. The occipital scale
is flat and hexagonal. Between the labial scales and the
suborbital, there are, in addition to the regular series of larger
supralabial scales, at least three distinct series of smaller
ones; whereas in _D. Darwinii_ there is but one.
The scales of the temples, the neck, the body, the limbs and the
tail, are similar to those of the former species in general form
and arrangement, excepting that they are smaller and less
elevated. Those beneath the anterior part of the lower jaw are
much smaller; but the rest on the under parts are similar to the
former.
The head is of a dull light-brown colour, with a few obscure
darker spots. The general ground colour of the back is “bluish
gray, tinged with rust colour;” there are five transverse bands
across the back, which are composed principally of numerous,
close, small, dark-brown spots, on a bluish-gray ground, darker
than the intervals, and without any red tinge; and each band is
marked on the posterior margin with strongly defined semilunar
indentations, bordered with yellowish-white, or bright yellow.
These bands are continued on the tail, where they become
half-rings.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length of the head 1 2
of the body 2 9
of the tail 3 5
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Total length 7 6
Length of anterior extremity 1 4
of posterior extremity 2 1
GENUS—AMBLYRYNCHUS. _Bell._
AMBLYRYNCHUS DEMARLII. _Bibr._