spots and a narrow ring. The eyelids are covered with very minute polygonal, tubercular scales. Each tarsus with a double row of scales, the inner one of small, polygonal, tubercular; the outer one of rhombic, flat, with the angles overlapping, so as to give the free margin a toothed appearance. The tympanum is large circular. The skin of the throat is very lax, forming a compressed pouch, the anterior margin of which is slightly toothed, owing to the series of scales overlapping each other. But there is during life no trace of any "crossfold behind, extending up the front of the shoulders." The scales of the neck and back are very minute, rhombic, or sub-rectangular, smooth, increasing in size and becoming imbricate on the sides, abdomen, limbs aud throat. On the neck is a high arched, toothed crest, composed of 26 large ensiform scales, the 13 anterior gradually increasing in length, the rest decreasing. The base of the crest is supported by two parallel, slightly arched, series of rectangular scales, much larger than those of the rest of the body, but those of the upper series double the size of those of the inferior. The dorsal crest commences at a short interval a little behind the shoulders. In shape and component parts it resembles the former, but is double the extent, consisting of 45 scales, all of which however are inferior in height to those of the cervical crest, which, as well as the somewhat lower, sloping level, renders the dorsal crest less conspicuous than the former. The skin is somewhat lax on the sides of the body, leaving the ribs visible. The tail is very much compressed, attenuated, elongated. Its sides are covered with rather large, smooth imbricate, rhombic scales. The anterior third of the upper margin is toothed, composed of a single row of large, gradually decreasing, sharply keeled scales. The other two thirds are covered by two rows of keeled scales, thus giving the posterior part of the tail a bidentated appearance. The lower surface of the tail is covered by two series of large, gradually decreasing, imbricate, keeled scales, giving it a bidentated appearance. The limbs are slender; the anterior little more than half the length of the posterior, and the toes very short. The posterior 4th toe is excessively long. The palms and soles are covered with minute, pointed, rough scales; the toes above and beneath with sharply keeled, imbricate, rhombic scales. The claws are large, trenchant, curved. The Colours. The ground-colour of the head, neck, throat, gular pouch, and the chest is impure gamboge, the scales edged with brown. eyelids dark brown, the tarsi buff. A dark blue triangular streak proceeds from the anterior angle of the orbit to the nostril; another is placed parallel with the upper labial scales, which as well as the lower are of a pale blue, as also the tympanum. From the labial scales and tympanum on each side across the throat, the pouch, and the sides of the neck, proceed 7 oblique, undulating, dark blue bands. The tympanum is enclosed by two oblique broad, purple-brown bands, which join each other under an angle at the anterior extremity of the cervical crest, where a third broad, longitudinal purple-brown band commences, proceeding over the side of the neck, then expanding, covers the back and the upper half of the sides of the body, where its lower margin describes two large curves. The lower part of the sides are of a deep lilac, changing on the abdomen to bluish white. On the sides of the body and on the abdomen appear several oblique series of lozenge-shaped spots: a few on the brown portion of the sides of a deep Indian red, the rest bright gamboge. The cervical and dorsal crests are mulberry-brown; the former with the upper half of each of the first 13 scales light green ; the latter with the upper half of the first 10 scales pale yellow. The scales at the base of the crests partake of the general colour, but many of them have a pale yellow spot. The tail is above and beneath with alternate broad rings of impure white, the scales edged with brown, and purple-brown, changing to black on the posterior half. The legs, feet and toes are dark purple-brown with indistinct transversal yellowish bands. Dimensions. Length of the cervical crest,.. 14 inch; height of 13th scale, 09 inch. Ditto ditto dorsal crest,. . . . . . 3 inch; ditto ditto 15th scale, 04 ...... The only individual examined, was captured on a botanical excursion by Sir William Norris on the Pinang Hills, on the bank of a mountain stream, at an elevation of about 2,000 feet. It appeared slow in its movements, of general sluggish habits, showed no power of changing colours, and in confinement it refused insects, vegetable food, as well as water. After having been preserved in rectified spirits of wine for upwards of three years, the specimen has retained the original brown and white colours and the Indian red spot; but the yellow, lightgreen and light-blue have changed to whitish, and the dark blue marks. to blackish. Although the colours in this state do not agree with those given by Mr. Gray, apparently though not stated, taken from a preserved specimen, the peculiar distribution of the markings correspond, and induce me to believe in the identity of the animals. GEN. DRACO, Linné, apud Duméril and Bibron. Head triangular, obtuse in front, slightly depressed, covered with small scales of unequal diameter. Three or four incisors and 2 canines in the upper jaw. Tongue spongy, thick, rounded, entire.* Tympanum hidden in some, visible in others. In the centre of the throat an elongated vertical pouch; on each side a smaller horizontal. In general a small cervical crest.† Trunk depressed, with a lateral membrane, supported by the spurious ribs. No femoral pores. Tail very long, thin, angular, slightly depressed at the root. A.-Tympanum visible, metallic iridescent. DRACO VOLANS, Linné. SYN.-Draco volans, apud Gmel., Latr., Gray. Draco præpos, Linné, apud Gmelin. Draco major, Laurenti. Draco minor, Laurenti. Le Dragon, Daubenton, Lacépède, Bonnat. Flying Draco, Shaw. Draco viridis, Daudin, apud Merr., Kuhl, Wolf, Wagler. Draco fuscus, Daudin, apud Merr., Kuhl. Draco bourouniensis, Lesson? Draco daudinii, Duméril and Bibron. "Chichak terbang" or "Kubin" of the Malays. In the following species the tongue is minutely, yet distinctly notched, i. e. Dracunculus, Wiegmann. The female of Draco fimbriatus, Kuhl, (i. e. Draco abbreviatus, Gray,) D. volans and D. maculatus differs from the male in having no cervical crest, and in having a smaller, less elongated gular pouch. Scales of the back rhomboidal, imbricate, indistinctly keeled; of the throat granular, of equal size; the adult male with a small cervical crest; tongue minutely notched in front; gular pouch of the male very long, narrow, nearly double the length of the head; of the female shorter, broad triangular. Adult male and female. Head metallic brown or green, with a black spot between the eyes. Back and inner half of the wing-membrane varied with metallic, iridescent dark brown and rose-colour, in some disposed in alternate transversal bands, with numerous black spots and short irregular waved or zigzag lines. Limbs and tail in some with rose coloured transversal bands. Sides of the neck and lips also rose coloured with black spots. Cheeks and eyelids silvery-white or sky-blue, the latter with short radiating black lines. Throat and gular pouch bright yellow, the former dotted with black; lateral pouches yellow or silvery rose, dotted with black. Outer half of the wing membrane black with indistinct transversal bands, composed of large, sometimes confluent, spots of silvery rose or whitish colour; the margins appearing as minutely fringed with silver. Beneath either whitish yellow or pale sky blue with metallic lustre; the membrane largely, the abdomen in some minutely spotted with black or brown. Iris hazel, with a golden narrow ring. Young of the same more vivid colours, with a series of double black spots along the spine of the back, and some scattered on the sides. HABIT.-Malayan Peninsula, Pinang. Philippine Islands, Borneo, Java. The transcendent beauty of the individually varying colours, baffles description. Such as are current of this and other species, appear to have been taken from preserved specimens. As the lizard lies in shade along the trunk of a tree, its colours at a distance appear like a mixture of brown and grey, and render it scarcely distinguishable from the bark. Thus it remains with no signs of life except the restless eyes, watching passing insects, which, suddenly expanding the wings, it seizes with a sometimes considerable, unerring leap. It is but on close inspection, exposed to the light or in the sun that the matchless brilliancy of its colours appears. But the lizard itself appears to possess no power of changing them. This species is numerous on trees, in valleys and hills. The female, apparently less numerous than the male, car |