306 Lncerftihv. 



the hack, smaller on the upper part of the sides, larger again towards 

 the ventrals, and graduating into them, 48 to 62 across the middle of 

 the body. Ventral plates in 16 or 18 more or less irregular longi- 

 tudinal series and 31 to 36 more or less angular transverse series, the 

 plates sometimes forming a tessellation, as long as broad or longer 

 than broad. Preanal region with small irregular scales. 



Scales on upper surface of fore limb moderately large, not broader 

 than long, smooth or very obtusely keeled. Scales on upper surface 

 of tibia roundish, smooth, not or but slightly larger than dorsals ; 

 one series of very large and one or two of small plates on the lower 

 surface. 12 to 18* femoral pores on each side. Subdigital lamellse 

 bi- or tricarinate, spinulose, 28 to 31 under the fourth toe. 



Upper (iaudal scales oblique, truncate, those at the base smooth or 

 feebly keeled ; basal subcaudals smooth. 28 to 38 scales in the fourth 

 or fifth wdiorl. 



Coloration very variable. 



A young from Steiukopf, Little Namaqualaud, is black above with 

 8 white streaks in front ; at a short distance behind the occiput the 

 median pair fuses to a single streak which extends to the level of the 

 collar; towards the middle of the body the next pair fuses to a single, 

 broader streak which ends on the basal part of the tail ; there are 

 thus the following number of white streaks from the occiput to the 

 anterior third of the tail : 8, 7, 5, 3, 2. The linil)s with large white 

 spots, the tail red. 



A male from Angra Pequena is also striatetl, dark Ijrown and 

 brownish white, but there is a whitish median streak on the nape and 

 the vertebral streak on the body extends as far back as the pelvic 

 region ; the streaks thus number 9, 8, 7, 3, 2 in succession from front 

 to back. 



The type of E. laficej^s which is preserved in the British Museum 

 has 7 whitish streaks on the nape, 6 on the scapular region, 5 on the 

 body, and 3 on the pelvic region and on the base of the tail ; the 

 brown spaces between the streaks speckled and spotted with white. 

 The markings are the same in a specimen from Port Elizabeth. 

 . Other individuals have the light streaks more indistinct and the 

 back may be yellowish brown or orange red, with or without small 

 dark spots or vermiculations, or with two dorsal bands of crowded 

 black spots, as in the specimen figured by Smith ; white ocellar spots 

 on the sides. 



A male labelled " South Africa," as well as the supposed type of 

 L. capensis, is greyish brown above with a dark brown vertebral 



* 16 to 20, accoi-dinj4- to Dunieril & Bibron. 



