INTRODUCTION. 



The chief object in preparing the present S_y^iopsis, has been 

 to give at one view a complete Catalogue of all the specimens 

 of Lizards at present in the British-Museum collection, and 

 an account of the species known to exist in other collections, 

 but which are at present desiderata in the British Museum, 

 so as to enable ti'avellers, collectors, and others, to assist in 

 completing the national collection. 



For this purpose, a synoptic description has been given of 

 all the genera and species at present known to exist in the dif- 

 ferent museums and private collections, and at the end of each 

 description is added an enumeration, stating the state, age, 

 country, and other peculiarities of each specimen of the kind 

 in the Museum collection ; or when the species is not at pre- 

 sent in that collection, the museum in which it has been ob- 

 served is added after the general habitat of the species. The 

 different individuals of each species contained in the British 

 Museum collection, are indicated by the letters a, b, c, &c. 



^Yhen the age of the specimen is not stated, it is to be un- 

 derstood that it is full grown, or nearly so ; when otherwise, 

 its state is marked immediately after the letter by which it is 

 distinguished ; and if the sexes are known, it is stated to be 

 male or female. These particulars are followed by the habi- 

 tat, which is given as particularly as the materials possessed 

 by the Museum permit. 



Those specimens which have been presented to the Museum 

 have the name of the donor marked immediately after the ha- 

 bitat. When there is no such indication, the specimens 

 have been either purchased, or procured in exchange ; and 

 in this case, whenever the place or person from whom they 

 have been received gives authenticity to the sijecimens, or 



a -2 



