(Plate IX. figs. B, B', B".) ? Lacerta draceena, L. Syst. Nat. i. p. 360.
Lacerta draceena, Shaw, Zool. iii. p. 218. pI. 67.
Tupinambis bengalensis, Daud. Hist. Rept. iii. p. 67.
Varanus guttatus, Men. Amph. p. 58. Less. in Beleng. Voy. Ind. Orient., Rept. p. 308. - punctatus, Men. Amph. p. 59. Less. 1. c. p. 309.
Monitor heraldicus, Gray, in Griff. An. Kingd. ix. p. 25.
- bengalensis, Gray, 1. c. p. 26.
Varanus bengalensis, Dum. & Bibr. Etpet. gen. iii. p. 480. - heraldicus, Gray, Catal. Liz. p. 9.
Monitor draceena, Gray, 1. c. p. 11.
Varanus bibroni, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xi. p. 869, and in Kelaart, Prodr. Faun. Ceyl. pp. p.46.

The toes of this and of the following species are of moderate length, and armed with strong claws. The nostril is an oblique slit, situated in the middle of the length of the snout. The teeth are stout, subconical, and not denticulated. Superciliary scales small, without a series of larger ones. Scales of the neck and back without keels, only a little raised in the middle; those of the belly smooth, in 90 transverse series between the gular fold and the loin. Brownish olive, uniform or generally with more or less numerous black dots, each of which occupies a scale; these dots are sometimes arranged in irregular transverse series, and are most numerous on the throat. Young specimens show numerous small white ocelli edged with darker, whilst the lower parts are marked with irregular dark transverse bands. Nape of the neck without regular cross bands.

This appears to be the most common species in British India. Specimens have been obtained from Bengal and Nepal, from different parts of Southern India, and from Ceylon. A very young specimen, 10 inches long, brought by Captain R. H. Beddome from the Anamallay Mountains, shows narrow black bands across the neck; but they are much narrower than in V lunatus, and rather irregular. It sometimes exceeds a length of 4 feet, the tail being longer than the body.

Kelaart (Pro dr. Faun. CeyI. p. 147) says that it is called in Ceylon the "Goana." "It is found in great abundance in all the maritime provinces, rarely in the higher Kandian districts. The natives are partial to its flesh; we have once tasted some excellent soup made from a tender Goana; it tasted not unlike hare-soup. They live in holes, and in midday they steal out of their cells in search of food, which consists of smaller reptiles and insects. Ant-hills furnish them with a dainty repast. At Trincomalee they are hunted down by dogs, and sold in the market for sixpence each."
Figures B, B', B" of Plate IX. represent the head in two views, and the fore foot, of the natural size.