668 



REPOET OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1902. 



Variation. — The type specimen above described is rather extreme 

 in some points of the scutellation of the head, namely in the wide 

 contact of the supraocular semicircles, which probably are more com- 

 monly separated )yy a single row of scales, and in the single row sepa- 

 rating the occipital shield from the semicircles, there being usually two 

 rows. No. 27290 is rather extreme in the latter respect, the occipital 

 being broken up so that there appears to be three such rows (tig. 121.) 



The degree of distinctness of the keels or wrinkles on the head 

 scales is greatly variable, as in some of the younger specimens these 

 scales are smooth or nearly so. 



Color of 'living specimens.- — Adult male; No. 27291, U.S.N. M. (L. S. 

 No. 906S) type; 3 miles east of Ponce; April 16, 1900. Ground color 

 above drab verging on tawny-olive on the tail and strongly washed 

 with cinnamon on the sides; middle portion of back about five scales 

 wide, uniform without spots, but on the sides of back 

 and on flanks there are three longitudinal series of 

 dusk}^ spots on each side, about seven spots in each 

 series from axilla to groin; these spots are not per- 

 manent, but appear and disappear at intervals; a pale 

 supratemporal line, washed with pale rufous, from 

 posterior edge of supraocular disk; below this an 

 elongate blackish spot involving the eye and part of 

 loreal triangle strongly tinged w T ith tawii} r on the 

 latter and on temples; edge of eyelids deep rufous; 

 below the dark spot a pure white line on the lower 

 row of scales of loreal triangle, suboculars and lower 

 temporals to above the ear; several oblique whitish 

 lines, which proceeding from the throat join on side 

 of neck under the ear, and a short line behind the 

 shoulder form a lateral whitish stripe which disappears 

 at the anterior third of the distance between shoulder 

 and groin; a dusky line below the white one, involving the upper and 

 lower labials and continued to a little beyond the lower edge of the 

 ear; a faint dusky stripe across upper arm and on side behind the 

 axilla bordering the pale lateral neck stripe below; underside whitish, 

 washed faintly with tawny, the throat with several longitudinal series 

 of narrow, disconnected, dusky stripes; a faint dusky stripe along the 

 median line of the belly; tail underneath whitish, strongly washed with 

 tawny-olive, the pale color anteriorly extending upward on the sides 

 of the tail so as to form a series of numerous pale crossbands which 

 do not reach the median line above; the posterior half of tail regularly 

 barred with wide dark and pale rings; limbs above like the back, the 

 hind limbs with indistinct dusky markings washed w T ith rufous; a 

 small dewlap perfectly covered with large white scales, so as to entirely 



Fig. 121.— Anolis 



PONCENSIS. Top Of 



bead. 4 x natural 

 size No. 27290, 

 g.S.N.M. 



