THE LIZARDS OF THE GENUS TACHYDROMUS. 213 
separated from it by the parietals meeting in the middle, sometimes reduced to a 
granule. 4 supraoculars, first very small, rarely in contact with the frontal,! second 
and third equal or second the larger, fourth small but larger than the first ; 4, rarely 
5, superciliaries, first or first and second longest ; a complete or, more often, incom- 
plete series of granules between the supraoculars and the superciliaries, excep- 
tionally reduced to 2 or 3 granules. Nasal forming a suture with the anterior loreal, 
above the small postnasal ;* anterior loreal shorter than the second ; 4 upper labials, 
rarely 3°, anterior to the subocular, which is narrower beneath than above. ‘Temporal 
scales small, more or less distinctly keeled ; 2 or 3 enlarged upper temporals, the 
first not in contact with the fourth supraocular ; tympanic shield present. 
4 pairs of chin-shields,* the two or three anterior meeting in the middle; 18 to 
25 gular scales between the symphysis of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate, 
anterior granular, smooth, posterior enlarged, imbricate, pointed, smooth or more 
frequently feebly keeled and merging gradually into the collar, which is composed 
of 9 to 12 pointed, smooth or keeled plates. 
Dorsal plates obtusely pointed or rounded behind, in 4 or 6 longitudinal series, 
with I or 2 series of smaller plates on the median line, making 5 to 7 series altogether ; 
sides with one upper and 3 to 6 lower series of keeled scales and a median granular 
area. Ventral plates in 8 longitudinal and 22 to 25 transverse series, the outer 
pointed and keeled, the others also pointed, or rounded or truncate behind, smooth 
ot feebly keeled. 29 to 35 plates and scales round the middle of the body. Preanal 
plate large, smooth, very rarely longitudinally divided,’ bordered by one semicircle 
of small plates. 
Upper sutface of limbs with rhombic keeled scales, much smaller than the 
dorsals. 2, very rarely 3, femoral pores on each side. Subdigital lamellae mostly 
divided, 20 to 26 under the fourth toe. 
Caudal scales strongly keeled and shortly mucronate, in somewhat longer and 
shorter whorls alternately, the fourth or fifth of which contains 14 to 20 scales. 
Brown or olive above, sometimes greenish on the anterior part of the back, 
uniform or with small irregularly scattered blackish spots ; sometimes a light dorso- 
lateral streak, starting from the superciliary edge; usually a dark brown or blackish 
lateral band ° from behind the eye, sometimes with a few light spots, the upper edge 
often crenulated ; a dark streak on the canthus rostralis ; a more or less distinct light 
or white streak, often black-edged, from the lower eyelid to the shoulder, through 
the lower part of the ear-opening, sometimes continued as a streak or series of spots 
to the base of the hind limb. Lower parts white, throat and breast sometimes 
greenish. ‘Tail pale brown or reddish, with a dark lateral streak. 
1 Absent on one side in a female (Lataste collection). 
. 2 The postnasal is absent and the first loreal transversely divided into two in a female from Tokyo. 
3 3 on both sides in a female from Tsu Shima, on one side in a female from Takanori. 
+ One exception with 3 and one with 5 out of 66 specimens examined by Stejneger. 3 ou one side and 4 on the 
other in the type of T. holstt. 
5 Female from Nagasaki. 
6 This band is totally absent in the types (female and young) of T. holsti, as well as in a female from Nagasaki. 
