180 THE HERPETOLOGY OF CUBA. 
tibia two rows of plates, those of the outer rows enormously enlarged; upper 
side of the wrist with a regular series of transverse plates corresponding to the 
inner and outer metatarsals; outer toe extending approximately as far as the 
inner; tail covered with straight scales with keels; about thirty-five scales in 
the fifteenth ring from the base. 
Colour (in life): —Ground-colour of dorsal surface olivaceous brown, 
slightly reddish anteriorly, grayer on the tail; three poorly defined narrow 
stripes of a lighter colour on the back; the two lateral stripes bordered on their 
outer side by a series of broad, dark brown spots which tend to become con- 
fluent; the same two outer pale stripes are bordered on their inner side by a 
poorly defined and much lighter series of similar dark spots; flanks, sides of 
head, sides and upper surfaces of the tail and appendages covered with a net- 
work of irregular brown patches; ventral surface straw-colour; traces of the 
same colour on the head-shields. 
In this species the females show almost exactly the same colouration as 
the males. There is, however, considerable individual variation in the exten- 
sion and distinctness of the dorsal stripes. There is also some variation in the 
distance by which the gular scales are separated by granules. 
The Cuban Ameiva is found everywhere in the Island except in the swampy 
regions, especially back of sandy beaches. We have examined and compared 
examples from Guane, Cojimar, San Diego de los Banos, Bahia Honda, Cien- 
fuegos, Camaguey, Santiago, and Guantanamo. No examples were ever ob- 
served in the Zapata swamp, nor in similar regions such as the swampy coastal 
plain from Palo Alto near Jucaro to the Estero de Juan Hernandez. 
Since this lizard is extremely shy and correspondingly quick in hiding, it 
is not seen moving about as often as its abundance would warrant. It is gen- 
erally found under stones or such rubbish as fallen palm fans and logs, which 
provide suitable hiding places. Occasionally, however, they may be seen crawl- 
ing about, usually in the dryest and most sunbaked places, with decorous pre- 
occupation and leisurely picking up ants. In the spring of 1909 they were really 
abundant on the hot stretches of cinders and ballast along the line of the Cuban 
railway, just west of the city of Camagiiey and a number could be seen there 
any day when the sun was high. 
