140 SAURIA. 



** Spines above the tympanum in a single continuous series. 



Scales between eye and tympanum small, of equal size C. ophiomachus, p. 142. 



(C. platyceps, p. 143.) 

 A stripe of larger scales between eye and tympanum C. nigrilabris, p. 143. 



*** Three small groups of spines on each side of the head. 



A fold before the shoulder C. emma, p. 144. 



**** Tivo series of scales above each tympanum. 



Fifty-eight series of scales round the middle of the body . . . . C. maria, p. 144. 



Calotes versicolor. The Bloodsucker. 



Agama versicolor, Daiid. Rept. iii. p. 395. t. 44. 



tiedemanni, Kuhl, Beitr. Zool. p. 109. Kaup, Isis, 1827, p. 619. t. 8. 



vultuosa, Harl. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. iv. p. 296. t. 19. 



Calotes versicolor, Dum. ^- Bibr. iv. p. 405. Gray, Lizards, p. 243. Kelaart, Prodr. Faun. Zeyl. 

 i. p. 170. Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Beng. xxii. p. 649. Jerdon, ibid, p. 470. 



viridis, Gray, Ann. If Mag. Nat. Hist. 1846, xviii. p. 429 (not Jerdon or Blyth). 



rouxi, Blyth, I. c. xxi. p. 354 (not D. ^ B.). 



Two small groups of spines, perfectly separated from each other, above each tympanum*. 

 Dorsal crest moderately elevated on the neck and anterior part of the trunk, extending on to 

 the root of the tail in large individuals, and gradually disappearing on the middle of the 

 trunk in younger ones. No fold in front of the shoulder, but the scales behind the lower 

 jaw are much smaller than the others ; gular sac not developed. From thirty-nine to forty- 

 three series of scales round the middle of the trunk. The hind foot (measured from the 

 heel to the extremity of the fourth toe) is not much longer than the head in the adult, 

 whilst it is considerably longer in the young. The coloration is very variable, sometimes 

 uniform brownish or greyish-olive or yellowish. Generally broad brown bands across the 

 back, interrupted by a yellowish lateral band. Black streaks radiate from the eye, and some 

 of them are continued over the throat, running obliquely backwards ; belly frequently with 

 greyish longitudinal stripes, one along the median line being the most distinct ; young and 

 half-grown specimens have a dark, black-edged band across the interorbital region. 



The ground-colour is generally a light brownish olive, but the lizard can change it to 

 bright red, to black, and to a mixture of both. This change is sometimes confined to the 

 head, at other times diffused over the whole body and tail. A common state in which it may 

 be seen (as stated by Mr. Jerdon) is, seated on a hedge or bush, with the tail and limbs black, 

 head and neck yellow picked out with red, and the rest of the body red. Jerdon and Blyth 

 agree that these bright, changeable colours are peculiar to the male during the breeding- 

 season, which falls in the months of May and June. 



Mouhot has collected in Siam one of those fine variations of colours, which, however, 

 appear to be infinite. It has the usual cross streaks between the eyes and the radiating 



* These spines are very small in specimens from Afghanistan, and a female from that country has no 

 trace of them. 



