Jávorka Sándor - Soós Lajos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 29. (Budapest 1935)

Fejérváry, G. J.: Further contributions to a monograph of the Megalanidae and fossil Varanidae - with notes on recent Varanians

a plate of bone",

16 what means the presence of a „bony armor"," i. e. an e x o s k e 1 e t o n. Besides, the „Komodo Dragon", or „Boeaja darat" („Land Crocodile"), is known for its moving about in a way quite different to that observable in other Yaranians: for it does not creep, but keeps up high on its extremities, just like most of our Mammalians do, or like the orthopodous Dinosaurs did, the belly of the moving animal never touching the floor.

18 It should also be noticed that this strange looking animal is, in many details of its habit, strikingly "unvarania n", a circumstance which struck me at first sight when contemplating the fine photographs in Mr. BURDEN'S paper, representing the walking and feeding specimens.

19 The most peculiar habit of the Komodo Lizard was first pointed out by Mr. J. K. DE JONG, in his recent paper on the kinetomechanism of this animal's skull:

20 „Außerdem war der Kopf, namentlich die Schnauze, so wenig varanusähnlich, daß ich beim ersten Anblick nicht umhin konnte, zu zweifeln, ob wirklich eine Varanus-Art vorlag." But, immediately after, he adds: „Die vorläufige anatomische Untersuchung hat mir aber gezeigt, daß das Tier zu der Gattung Varanus gehört, während eine eingehende Betrachtung des Skelettes zeigen muß, inwiefern es innerhalb dieser Gattung eine gesonderte Stellung einnimmt." Shortly after this paper of Mr. DE JONG had appeared, a second one reached me, kindly sent by Mr. L. D. BRONGERSMA (Bloemendaal, Holland), Student of Natural Sciences, by whom Mr. DE JONG was assisted in his anatomical research on the Komodo Lizard, and dealing with the eidonomical conditions of the same species. The paper I am referring to is Mr. DE JONG'S note bearing the title „Varanus komodoensis, Ouwens", published in the Ann. & Mag. N. H., Ser. 9, XIX, London, 1927, p. 589—591; J. K. DE JONG und L. D. BRONGERSMA, Anatomische Notizen über Varanus Komodoensis Ouwens, 1. Die Bewegungen im Schädel von V. Kom. Zool. Anz. Leipzig, 70. 1927, p. 65—69. Mr. DE JONG'S description aims to complete Miss DE ROOJ'S. given in her valuable work on „The Reptiles of the Indo-Australian Archipelago", I, Leiden, 1915, p. 150— 151, based on „a skin and a sktill in the Leyden Museum," in which 10 Op. cit. p. 3. (under Figure). 17 Op. cit. p. It. 18 Cfr. OUWEN'S paper containing the species' first description, in: Bull. Jard. Botan. Buitenzorg, (2) VI, 1912 (fide DE JONG, see footnote 8th). 19 Op. cit. p. 14—15. 20 Anatom. Notizen

. üb, Varanus komodoensis Ouwens. Zool. Anz., LXX. 1927, p. 65—69.