38 ME. G. A, BOULENGEE ON LIZAEDS 



in the middle of the back corresponding to the length of the head. Ventral plates 

 overlapping, more or less distinctly detached from each other on the posterior border, 

 in 8 (rarely 6) longitudinal and 27 to 33 * transverse series (27 to 30 in males, 

 31 to 33 in females) ; the plates of the 6 principal rows subequal in size, or those of 

 the second series from the median Hue the broadest ; if in 8 rows, outer plates usually 

 narrow, exceptionally half as broad as those of the adjacent series. 



Prseanal plate moderate or rather small, sometimes divided into three, bordered by 

 two semicircles of small plates. 



Scales on upper surface of tibia much smaller than dorsals, strongly keeled. 

 19 to 23 lamellar scales under the fourth toe. 14 to 20 femoral pores on each side. 



Caudal scales obtusely pointed, the upper more or less oblique, diagonally and 

 strongly keeled, the lower also keeled, except quite at the base ; the whorls usually 

 not very unequal in length; 24 to 30 scales in the fourtli or fifth whorl behind the 

 postanal granules. 



Grey or pale brown above, with two darker dorsal bands, each bearing a series of 

 dark brown f spots, which may be large and squarish or small and irregular, or 

 replaced by a series of small ocelli on both sides of the dark dorsal bands ; bordering 

 these spots on each side a small white spot or streak, tlie outer of which is the 

 continuation of a streak proceeding from the outer border of the parietal ; nape usually 

 ■with a short dark brown vertebral streak or series of spots ; a more or less distinct 

 Avhitish streak on each side from the upper lip to the thigh ; between it and the 

 dorso-lateral series of light spots a dark band with a series of large squarish or round 

 dark brown spots mostly with a white centre, or of white, black-edged ocelli, which 

 in males may be very large and blue ; upper surface of head without spots, or with 

 small dark markings following the curved inner border of the supraocular region ; 

 tail with a more or less distinct dark lateral band, and with or without a dorsal dark 

 band or series of large dark spots. Lower parts white in the female, pale yellow in 

 the male ; in the latter some small blue spots may be present on the sides of the belly. 

 According to Werner, the young differs only in having the light streaks more distinct, 

 more continuous. 



The pattern of coloration is derivable from that of the young of L. agilis, var. 

 exigua, figured above, p. 13. The remains of a dark vertebral band, which persist on 

 the nape only, result from the fusion of the dark borders of the light vertebral streak 

 after the absorption of the latter, as in the typical form of L. agilis ; the paired dorsal 

 spots represent the breaking up of the inner dark border of the dorso-lateral light 

 streak, which retains its normal course instead of being shifted towards the vertebral 

 area ; the large lateral spots or ocelli on the sides correspond to those in L. agilis 

 and the third or lower lateral streak is absent or represented by the blue spots on the 

 sides of the belly. Thus, although the markings seem to differ very strikingly from 



* Up to 35, according to Werner. 



t Sometimes reddish brown in females, according to Werner. 



