292 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



but are almost always visible on the posterior part of the body. Below lighter, 

 sometimes rather bluish or ashy gray, finely dotted with dark brown. The chin is 

 often almost white with dark brown parallel lines in two series, which converge 

 towards the middle of the back of the throat. A freshly hatched young one shows 

 white marked rhombs and conspicuous white lines on the neck. 



Found ouly on Jamaica, perhaps more common in higher altitudes, as in Mande- 

 ville and the hills about Bath. Though Wight's specimens came from lowlands 

 about Port Antonio, not a single example was taken on the plain about Kingston. 



Sphaerodactylus argus Gosse. 



Gosse, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1850, ser. 2, 6, p. 347 ; Nat. Sojourn in Jamaica, 1851, 



p. 76, 284. 



This is the commonest member of this genus over the part of Jamaica whence 

 it is recorded. We took sixty-four specimens about Kiugston and fifteen at Mande- 

 ville, where Mr. Wight has also taken it. A few years ago Major Wirt Robinson 

 gave two examples to the Museum, also from near Kingston. Gosse took it in 

 western Jamaica, and the Museum has one from Moneague. From the vicinity of 

 Bath and Port Antonio and other stations near by, it seems to be quite certainly 

 absent. Mr. Wight also failed to find it at Port Antonio. 



The series from Kingston shows that this is perhaps the most variable species 

 in the genus. This lizard may present a uniform pepper-and-salt appearance, or 

 the white may appear in the typical ocelli on the back and top of the head, or the 

 ocelli on the back with elongate spots on the neck and the head, or as white 

 vittae. The white markings may be absent on any one region and present on an- 

 other, thus making possible a large number of combinations in pattern. The 

 lower surface of the tail is usually coral red in life. The color of the embryos 

 just before leaving the egg seems to be of one pattern only. The six white bands 

 sometimes seen on the heads and necks of adults here are very wide and conspicu- 

 ous and extend from nose to root of tail. They are rather dark edged and the 

 ground color is uniform slaty without the finely puuctulate appearance of the 

 ground color of the adult. 



For all these small geckos one must search carefully in the cracks and cran- 

 nies of old walls, under loose stones, and about thatched roofs. A pile of old 

 thatching lying on the ground is certain to contain Sphaerodactyli if auy occur in 

 the neighborhood. The negroes in Jamaica, who can aid one tremendously in 

 lizard hunting, call all of the genus " pawley " lizards or water lizards. The 

 latter name is used about Mandeville, and no explanation was obtained as to its 

 meaning. 



The species is peculiar to Jamaica. 



Sphaerodactylus dacnicolor, sp. nov. 



Plate 1. 



Types : two specimens (M. C. Z., No. 7276) collected at Port Antonio, Ja- 

 maica, by Mr. A. E. Wight. 



Snout pointed and elongate, distance from tip of nose to eye greater than 



