_Squamâ mentali impari pentagonâ, scutiformi; squamarum labialium
inferiorum paribus quinque, superiorum paribus sex; caudâ medio
crassiore._
_Gymnodactylus Gaudichaudii._ Bibr. Rept. III. p. 413.
This species was first brought from Coquimbo by Gaudichaud, after whom
it was named by Mons. Bibron, who described it in his work; but as one
specimen alone exists in the French National Collection, and as the
species has never been figured, it is thought desirable that a figure
should be given in the present work. The characters above given
sufficiently distinguish it from all other species; but for a detailed
description, the reader is referred to the “Histoire des Reptiles” above
quoted.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length of the head 0 5
of the body 1 4
of the tail 2 3
──────────────────────────────────
Total length 4 2
_Reptiles Plate 14._
[Illustration:
_Drawn from Nature on stone by B. Waterhouse Hawkins._
_Printed by C. Hullmandel._
]
_1. Leiocephalus Grayii._
_2. Centrura flagellifer._
The specimens brought home by Mr. Darwin were from Port Desire, in
Patagonia, and the following observations occur in his MS.
notes:—“Centre of the back yellowish brown, sometimes with a strong
tinge of dark green; sides clouded with blackish brown; in very great
numbers under stones; makes a grating noise when taken hold of; after
death loses its darker colours.
“A specimen being kept for some days in a tin box, changed colour into
an uniform grey, without the black cloudings. I thought I noticed some
change after catching and bringing home these animals, but could observe
no instantaneous change.”
I have considered these specimens as belonging to the species to which I
have assigned them, because they exactly agree with Mons. Bibron’s
description. It is, however, very possible that an opportunity of
comparing them with those obtained by Gaudichaud, would show them to be
distinct, as it rarely happens that the same species of reptile is found
on the opposite sides of the American Continent.
GENUS—NAULTINUS. _Gray._
NAULTINUS GRAYII.