68 



Var. MACULATUS, Gray. 



This variety differs little from the typical form ; the shape of the 

 head is the same and the snout is exactly as long as the postocular 

 part of the head. But the form is not quite so heavy, the length of 

 the head is 3^ to 4 times in length to vent in males, the size is smaller, 

 the tail is 1^ to 14 times as long as head and body, and the dorsal 

 scales are rhombic and more or less strongly keeled. The coloration, 

 as in the typical form and the var. bedriagie, shows a marked 

 contrast of dark and light spots, usually forming regular longitudinal 

 series. The young is black above, with four white dorsal streaks, 

 in addition to which a vertebral streak, bifurcate in front, is present 

 on the nape and the anterior part of the back, and one white 

 streak on each side ; a series of round white spots between the 

 outer dorsal and the lateral streaks ; the inner dorsal pair of streaks 

 unites into one on the base of the tail ; limbs with large round white 

 spots. 



The first supraocular is usually divided into two or three ; the 

 subocular rests on the fourth and fifth, or fourth, fifth and sixth 

 (rarely fifth and sixth, or fifth, sixth and seventh) upper labials ; in 

 one specimen* it reaches the oral border. 41 to 60 scales across the 

 middle of the body. 16 to 25 femoral jDores. 18 to 22 lamellas under 

 the fourth toe. 



I cannot separate from this form, known from Tripoli and Tunis, 

 specimens from the interior of the Province Orau (var. intermedius). 

 The specimens I have examined have strongly keeled scales, but 

 Doumergue says they are sometimes smooth or feebly keeled, in which 

 case I do not see how they are to be distinguished from the typical 

 form. 



* From Cabes ; also in one from Mechei-ia, Oran. 



