84 BULLETIN 151, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



series cited above. The fact that Cameroon chameleons belong to 

 laevigatus would lead one to suppose that the main factor in their 

 distribution has a good deal to do with rain forest, the designation 

 of western and eastern for the two forms is therefore ill chosen. It 

 might be remarked in passing that the National Museum series may- 

 be divided jnto two groups, according to the development of the 

 canthal crests or ridges, which are strong in the Uganda specimens 

 and weak in those from Sururu and Fort Hall; it would be well to 

 bear in mind, however, that a great deal depends upon the condi- 

 tion of the reptile, for in a well-nourished chameleon crests and 

 ridges are much less conspicuous than in one that has been starved 

 before preservation, as seems to be so frequently the case with 

 examples of this genus. 



As pointed out by Schmidt, there is considerable variation in the 

 length of their tails, w^hich may be longer (27301) than the bodj'^, 

 though normally shorter. The tail length in this series ranges from 

 0.39 to 0.50 of the total, with an average of 0.45. Both specimens 

 attaining the greatest size are females, the larger (42221) measuring 

 202 (116 + 96) mm.; the smallest of the series measures 88 (50 + 38). 



One female (No. 42221), taken on December 31, holds very small 

 eggs, another (No. 63474), taken on July 12, has eggs somewhat more 

 developed. The stomach of the smallest specimen holds a large 

 locustid. 



CHAMAELEON GRACILIS GRACILIS (Hallowell) 



Chamaeleo gracilis Hallowell, 1842, Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., p. 324, pi. 18 



(Monrovia, Liberia). 

 Chamaeleon gracilis Boulenger, 1887, Cat. Lizards Brit. Mus., vol. 3, p. 448, 



pi. 39, fig. 4.— Schmidt, 1919, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 39, p. 570, 



pi. 30, fig. 1. 



1 (U.S.N.M. 42222) Kikonda, U. (Sm. Afr. Exped.) 1910. 



1 (U.S.N.M. 42481) Lake Hannington, K. C. (Sm. Afr. Exped.) 1909. 



1 (U.S.N.M. 63475) Masindi, U. (Raven) 1920. 



The larger of the two males (both of which are spurred) measures 

 236 (117 + 119) and the solitary female (No. 42481) only 185 (100 + 85) 

 mm. The tail length of the latter is 0.45 of the total length; that of 

 the males is 0.50 and 0.54, a slight extension over 0.43 to 0.52, which 

 Schmidt records for his Congo series. 



I have employed trinomials for this species after carefully comparing 

 topotypic examples of gracilis with paratypcs of Schmidt's etiennei 

 from Banana, Belgian Congo. The only difference that I can find 

 between the two forms is the fact that males of etiennei lack a tarsal 

 process or spur. In this respect, therefore, C. etiennei stands in pre- 

 cisely the same relation to gracilis as roperi does to quilensis, and as 

 both the latter have long been considered races of dilepis for con- 

 sistency of treatment one must regard etiennei as no more than a race 

 of gracilis. 



