"2 H.luSTF.DTS KILTMAND.TARO-MERtT IJXPKniTION. 4. 



Peloinedusa galeata (SCHOEPFF). 

 Pelomedusa galeata (SCHOEPFF). BOULENGER Cat. Chelonians p. 197. 



1 small specimen from the river Ngare na nyuki. 



The shields of the plastron of this specimen are anomalous as their number 

 is 15 ; this is due to the fact that there are four femoral shields instead of two. 



Lacertilia. 



The number of lizards recorded from German East Africa amounts to between 

 70 and 80 species. The exact number is difficult to state as it depends upon whether 

 some of the names have been given to real species or mere varieties and in some in- 

 stances this can not yet be ascertained. The amount of variation in some, for in- 

 stance Gerrhosaurus, appears to be very great. The collection brought home by Pro- 

 fessor SJOSTEDT contains about 30 different forms (in 141 specimens). A couple of 

 these are, however, perhaps only varieties. 



The Geckoes are represented in the collection by four species, all of which were 

 known from Usambara before. Three of these, Gonatodes africanus, Hemidactylus iver- 

 neri and Lygodactylus conradti, were collected by SJOSTEDT at Kilimandjaro and the 

 two latter at Meru, as well, for which region they were not recorded before. As 

 some of the Geckoes recorded from German East Africa have a very wide distribu- 

 tion, it is most probable that they will also be found in the Kilimandjaro district 

 later on, and it thus will be proved that this family is represented there by more species 

 than the three mentioned above. The three members of the genus Agama which 

 SJOSTEDT has found at Kilimandjaro and Meru are all of them widely distributed. 

 The same is the case as well with the two Varani, and Latastia longicattdata and 

 Nncras tesselata. Eremias spekii seems to inhabit the greater part of German East 

 Africa. But of great interest was the discovery of Lacerta jacksoni at Kilimandjaro 

 and Mombo as it had only been found at the Man Mountains in British East Africa 

 before, and by this find it is proved that the genus Lacerta has found its way still 

 further into the heart of Africa than ever was believed before. 



From a zoo-geographical point of view the specimens of Gerrhosaurus are of 

 less interest, but the more for the study of variation (conf. below). 



The three Mabuias found by SJOSTEDT in the Kilimandjaro-Meru region are all 

 well known from East Africa, where several other species of this genus are at home. 

 The two species of Lygosoma have a more restricted habitat, but both were known 

 from Kilimandjaro before, although not from Meru. Ablepharus wahlbergi is a widely 

 distributed species. Among the true lizards there is thus in this collection only La- 

 certa jacksoni which is of special importance from a zoo-geographical point of view. 



