436 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XVIII. 



oviparous. My suspicion was confirmed when I received at the 

 beginning of this year another specimen with a number of eggs 

 which it had laid in captivity. I thought I could do no better than 

 send both specimens together with their eggs to Mr. Boulenger for 

 an authoritative opinion on the case ; he was kind enough to 

 acknowledge the receipt and to give me some additional information 

 which I am sure will interest other members besides myself. 

 Mr. Boulenger says : " It is well known that closely allied species of 

 lizards and snakes differ with regard to the manner in which the 

 young are brought forth. Thus our sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) lays 

 eggs, while the common species (L. vivipara) is ovo-viviparous. 

 Some species of Tropidonotvs are oviparous, others are ovo-viviparous. 

 In the extra-Indian species of Mabouia, so far as notes have been 

 made of them, we also know the two types of parturition, so that Mr. 

 Theobald's observation did not seem to me improbable. I have myself 

 made an observation which will interest you. The N. African and 

 S. European Scincoid lizard Chalcides ocellatus has been repeatedly 

 observed in Algeria to produce live young. Now a specimen from 

 Ghiza, Egypt, which was given to me a short time ago, has laid eggs 

 in my vivarium which have a parchment-like shell even tougher than 

 in M. carinata. I am making inquiries to ascertain whether this is 

 normal or abnormal in Egypt." 



There is another remark in Mr. Boulenger's letter which I should 

 like to quote ; after regretting his inability of making observations 

 on the habits of Indian Reptiles he continues : " Naturalists in India 

 have the opportunity of making such observations, and I am glad to 

 see so many recorded in the Journal of the Bombay Society." 



