Entire length: 84 inches. SUB-GEN. LYGOSOMA, Gray, apud Dum. and Bibr. Nostrils pierced through the nasal shield; no supranasals; palate toothless, with a small triangular incision, situated far back; scales smooth. LYGOSOMA CHALCIDES, (Linné.) SYN.-Scincus pedibus brevissimis, &c. Gronov. P. II, No. 43. Lacerta chalcides, Linné. Angvis quadrupes, Linné, apud Hermann. Le Chalcide, Daubenton. Chalcida serpens, Meyer. Lacerta serpens, Donnd, apud Shaw. Scincus brachypus, Schneid. apud Merrem. Chalcides serpens, Latreille. Seps pentadactylus, Daudin. Seps (Angvis quadrupes, Lin.) Cuv., apud Griffith, A, K. Mabouya serpens, Fitzinger? Lygosoma serpens, Gray, apud { Wagler. Griffith, A. K. Lygosoma aurata, Gray, apud Griffith, A. K. Tiliqua de Vosmaer, Cocteau. Lygosoma brachypoda, Duméril and Bibron. Blindworm-like; limbs excessively small; tail strong, conical, about two-fifth of the entire length. A single large lozenge-shaped frontoparietal shield. Ear minute, circular. Lower eyelid scaly, with a few larger scales. Preanal scales larger than the rest. Ground colour : iridescent lighter or darker copper, or bronze, in some with indistinct dark brown zigzag lines, produced by the scales being laterally edged or dotted with that colour. Beneath pale or whitish yellow. The tail in some minutely dotted with brown. Iris black with a minute golden ring. The supraorbital scales being somewhat transparent, the black colour of the eye gives them a blackish appearance. HABIT. Pinang. Singapore, Java. But two individuals were observed on the Great Hill of Pinang, one by Sir W. Norris, the other by myself. The latter made its appearance through a hole in the soft, moist mould beneath a group of Polycopodium horsfieldii. Above ground its movements were very quick, serpent-like, apparently little assisted by the tiny limbs. The head of the larger measured inch, the trunk 2 inches in length. One had but 4 toes on the anterior feet. In both the tail was reproduced, which is also the case in a third, from Singapore, preserved in the Museum of the Asiatic Society. On the Temples and Ruins of Oomga, by Capt. M. KITTOE, 6th N. I. As occasional notices of the nooks and corners of Hindoostan may prove interesting to many readers of the Journal (notices that it must be in the power of many of the Civil and Military servants of Government and others to furnish and at little cost), I venture to set the example by offering the following description of a locality once famous in the province of Behar, called Oomga, situated within a mile of the dawk Bungalow of Mudunpoor, and fourteen west of Sheerghatti, a visit to which will ever repay the lover of the antique and picturesque for his pains. The object which first strikes the traveller is the lofty conical tower of a Temple perched on the westernmost and lower spur of a cluster of hills to the south of the Benares road, the rock composing which is a very coarse grained (porphyritic?) granite affording materials for this and all the other Temples (said to be 52 in number) of however small dimensions. be The height of the great Temple from the rock to the crest may about 60 feet, the extreme length from east to west is 68ft. 6in. and the breadth 53. As this structure is perfect I prepared the annexed ground plan with an elevation of the eastern entrance and of two of the pillars, brackets, &c. These will give a better idea than I could convey in writing; the north and south balconies or porches being both alike, I have given the ground plan of the lower of one, and of the upper story of the other; the date of this edifice is found in a Sanscrit inscription I shall treat of further on. The exterior shape is that common to most buildings of the kind erected between the 12th and 15th centuries of the Christian era, of which so many fine specimens are to be found in the province of Cuttack the materials being very hard and coarse-grained would not have admitted of minute ornament, consequently such is confined to bold mouldings and recesses producing the usual and pleasing effect. interior is nearly as devoid of ornament as the exterior. : The The Temple being dedicated to Jugnath (as "Narrain") has no idols, but a Singhasun or throne on the west wall (facing the east), on which the wooden blocks representing the triad of Sri Jeo, Bulbudra and Seubudra were formerly placed, but is now occupied by fragments of other figures-there are also two of Ganesh in the ante room or Subha. The pillar or Garura-stamba which formerly supported Garadu, still stands on the space in front of the entrance, and is about 14 ft. high, a single block of granite. The four large columns in the Subha are likewise single shafts 10 feet each, or capitals and bases included, 16ft. 8in.x24 in thickness; their shape will be observed is that common in Hindu architecture, viz. 1st portion square, 2nd octagon, third 16-sided, and fourth circular, the capital being likewise circular and surmounted by four armed brackets or corbets. A remarkable feature in this Temple (to which its preservation from the destructive hand of Mahomedan fanatics may be attributed) is its bearing cufic inscriptions over the entrance doorway, as well as those of the two small chambers, also on the eight sides of each pillar and on the architraves, the latter consist simply of the word "Allah.” The former appear to be extracts from the Koran, but having been chiselled off it is nearly impossible to make them out. This piece of mischievous folly, I regret to record, is attributed to a European officer, at whose suggestion the late Rajah Gunsam Sing of Deo caused it to |