Ere m las. 



341 



is no differeuee in shape of the head between youug specimens from 

 Pekin, 35 millim. long witliout the tail, referable to the two forms. 

 The second and more important cliaracter resides in the larger dorsal 

 scales, tliero being 39 to 46 across the middle of the body in 

 E. brenchleyi, and 46 to 62 in E. «r;/«s ; there is thus an overlap, 

 which would probably be greater if more specimens of the former 

 could be examined. In all other respects the two forms agree, the 

 further differences pointed out by J. G. Fischer being merely 

 individual. 



Apart from the character of the subocular, the var. bre)ichlei/l may 

 be defined as combining a usual!}' lower number of scales across the 

 body, a somewhat flatter head with a more pointed snout, a usually 

 longer tail, and the presence of a dark lateral band edged above by a 

 series of ocellar spots and below by an interrupted white streak. 



Habitat. — Mongolia and Northern China. 



