156 SAURIA. 



CHARASIA, Gray. 



Tympanum naked. Body depressed, covered with small, imbricate, 

 keeled scales equal in size, and regularly arranged in transverse series : tail 

 slightly compressed, with cross rows of small, keeled scales ; those at its 

 lower side small, truncated. Throat with a cross fold ; no gular sac ; a 

 low dorsal crest ; ventral scales small, smooth. Femoral or praeanal pores 

 none. 



Only one species is known. 



Charasia doesalis. 



Agama dorsalis, Gray, Syn. Rept. in Griff. Anim. Kingd. p. 56. Dum. ^ Bibr. iv. p. 486. Jerdon, 



Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xxii. p. 475. 

 Charasia dorsalis, Gray, Lizards, p. 246. 



Head depressed, oblong, triangular ; body depressed ; tail slightly compressed, tapering, of 

 moderate length. The upper parts of the head are covered with very small flat shields ; only 

 those along the canthus rostralis, which is rather sharp, are larger than the rest. Throat 

 covered with very small smooth scales ; a series of five larger scales along each side of the 

 chin, separated from the lower labials; the median lower labial is elongate, triangular, 

 pointed behind. Teeth small, triangular ; tongue slightly notched in front. Tympanum as 

 large as the eye ; two groups of small spines above each tympanum. The scales on the back 

 and sides are regularly arranged in transverse series, slightly keeled, with the points directed 

 obliquely upwards ; the middle of the body is surrounded by about 130 series of scales. The 

 dorsal crest is very low, slightly prominent on the neck, and continued as a series of strongly 

 keeled, prominent scales along the back and anterior part of the tail. Praeanal scales not 

 different from those of the belly. The scales on the tail are similar to those on the trunk, 

 but rather larger, and the scales at its lower side are obtusely rounded or subtruncated 

 behind. Legs strong; the hind leg extends beyond the tympanum, if laid forwards: the 

 toes are armed with claws of moderate strength ; the fourth hind toe is one-fifth longer than 

 the third. The colour is brownish yellow or dusky grey on the back ; a black band com- 

 mences behind the eye, and another behind the angle of the mouth ; the former is continued 

 on, and spreads over the sides of the body ; legs dotted with black. The male is sometimes 

 of a brighter colom- — red or yellow on the back, black on the sides and on the belly. 



This is a rock lizard, and, according to Mr. Jerdon, it is partially distributed in Southern 

 India, and only found at some elevation above the sea. It is most abundant in Mysore, and 

 especially in the neighbourhood of Bangalore, where it may be seen on every bare rock. 



