CALOTES. 69 



t3'mpanum. Nuchal crest not continuous with dorsal, composed 

 of large compressed spines, with the base concealed under two or 

 three rows of smaller spines ; dorsal crest as high as or a little 

 lower than nuchal in front, becoming very low behind ; the crest 

 less developed in females. Dorsal scales extremely small, inter- 

 mixed with enlarged, rhomboidal, strongly keeled scales ; ventral 

 scales a little larger than enlarged dorsals, strongly keeled. Hind 

 limb reaching between temple and nostril. Tail compressed- 

 Colour very changeable, brown, blackish, or green, with lighter 

 or darker spots; dark lines radiating from the eye; sky-blue spots 

 may be present on the body, limbs, and tail ; a dark brown or 

 black band from the interspace between the nuchal and dorsal 

 crests to the sides of the throat; yellow beneath tinged with 

 orange on the chest ; gular region of male pale lilac ; inside of 

 mouth bright orange. 



Erom snout to vent 135 millim. ; tail 160. 



Cochin China, Siam, Tenasserim, Malay Peninsula, and Penang. 

 Obtained by Dr. Anuandale at Bukit Besar, Patani States, 2500 

 feet. 



Feeds on worms, which it digs out with its fore limbs. This 

 lizard has considerable power of changing colour ; when angry it 

 distends its throat. It is somewhat rare on the mainland, but is 

 fairly numerous on many of the small islands on both coasts of 

 the Peninsula. 



•69. Acanthosaura crucigera. 



Bouleug. Cat. Liz. i, p. 302, pi. xxii, tig. 2 (1885) ; id. Faun. Brit. 

 Ind., Kept. p. 125 (1890). 



Distinguished from the preceding by the shorter spines, the 

 postorbital and nuchal not measuring more than half the diameter 

 of the orbit, and the somewhat larger dorsal scales. 



Originally described from Tenasserim. A female specimen 

 measuring 140 millim. from snout to vent, from Larut, Perak, is 

 preserved in the Perak Museum, and has been submitred to me by 

 Mr. L. Wray. 



Genus CALOTES. 

 Cuvier, Regne Anim. ii, p. 35 (1817). 



Tympanum distinct. Body compressed, covered with equal- 

 sized scales. A more or less distinct dorso-nuchal crest. A n)ore 

 or less developed gular sac in the male ; no transverse gular fold, 

 or a very feebly marked one. Tail round or feebly compressed. 

 No femoral or prseaual pores. 



Arboreal or subarboreal lizards inhabiting South-Eastern Asia. 

 Four species in the Malay Peninsula. 



Some of these hzards change colour as rapidly as chameleons. 

 The eggs are hirge, elongate, spindle-shaped. 



