LACERTA NIGROPUNCTATA. 17^ 



Genus LACERTA. 



The generic characters of these Keptiles are almost iden- 

 tical with those of Tropidosaura, the only important dif- 

 ference being the presence of a collar formed of large 

 scales under the neck, and in the arrangement and shape 

 of the plates of the belly, which in Lacerta are flat, smooth, 

 quadrilateral, and disposed in the form of a quincunx. In 

 general appearance they are the same. 



The great majority of the species are European. In the 

 ' Erpetologie Generale ' they are divided into three groups, 

 according to the form and arrangement of their scales, as 

 follows : — 



FIRST GROUP. Dorsal scales large, rJiomhoid, heeled, 

 and very distinctly tiled. 



Lacerta nigropunctata. 



Lacerta nigropunctata, Dum. et Bib. vol. v. p. 190; Schinz, Eui'op. 



Faun. vol. ii. p. 16. 

 Hotopholis nigropunctata, Buon. Faun. Ital. (figured). 



Desceiption. — On each temple is a large plate, surromided 

 by polygonal scales of different sizes ; the large scales 

 which form the collar are tiled from the outside to the 

 centre ; they are nine in number, slightly rounded on their 

 free edges ; the eyelids are covered with small scales ; the 

 fore-feet scarcely reach beyond the anterior edge of the 

 orbit; the hind-legs reach a little beyond the shoulder; 

 the dorsal scales are arranged in twelve longitudinal rows, 

 and are distinctly keeled in an oblique dii-ection ; the scales 

 of the flanks are very much smaller, forming seven or eight 

 rows on each side ; above the fore -leg are thi-ee or four 

 large hexagonal scales, much dilated sideways, and ob- 

 liquely tiled; the triangle of the thorax is composed of 



