ALIJKI) TO I^ACEirr.V MIIJ AI.IS. ( I 



at tirst sight very difFeroiit, from L. danfordii. closer examination reveals these different 

 patterns to belong to the same fundamental phui. 



Measurements (in millimetres) of a male from near Eski Shehir : — 



From cud oi' snout to vent 72 



,, ,, J, foio lind) 30 



Hc-iul in 



Width of head 12 



Depth of head 



Fore lind) 27 



Hind lind. -iO 



Foot 21 



According to Werner, the variation in the proportion of length to width of head 

 is 1, 38 to 1, 44 in L. danfordii*, 1, 53 to 1, 74 in L. anatolica. This is really the 

 only difference on which the two forms can be based, aud I believe it would break 

 down were the specimens from the Southern Sporades re-examined. All the other 

 characters that have been adduced in favour of separation (viz., relation of rostral to 

 nostril, number of longitudinal rows of ventrals, anal scutellation, shape and size of 

 the occipital, and coloration) are subject to such variation as to be useless, and 

 are mostly disposed of by an examination of tlie series of specimens on which 

 L. danfordii was established. 



Habitat. Asia Minor and Southern Sjiorades. 



Var. GR.ECA, Bedriaga f . 

 This is a distinct form, known only from Southern Greece, which is, however, so 

 closely related to, and so completely connected with, X. danfordii that, according to 

 the standard adopted in the genus Lacerta {L. ocellata, L. riridis, L. muralis), I 

 cannot accord it higher rank than that of subspecies. That is, after all, perhaps only 

 a matter of opinion, but what is important is to dispose of the statements hitherto 

 made by different authors as to the characters which were believed to justify a specific 

 separation, such as a longer and flatter head, longer limbs, the shape and size of the 

 occipital shield, the temporal scutellation, the coloration, etc. [j;. by showing how far 

 they are to be relied upon, and what importance is to be attached to them by analogy 



• 1, 55 ill one of the specitueus of which measurements are given above. 



t The name modesta Ucdriagu, which has priority over (jrteca, cannot be used, being preoccupied in llie 

 genus {L. muralis, var. modesta Eimer). 



J It may be interesting to reproduce here the reasons given by the original describer of L. gnecn for 

 distinguisliing it from L. danfonlii. " Da man kiirzlich versucht hat L. danj'onli mit L. tjrceca zu vereinigcn, 

 80 will ich hierselhst auf die Hauplunterschiede, welchc icii zwischen dem mir vorlicgenden Exemphir von 

 L. danfordi und deu yrceca gofuuden zii haben glaube, hinweisen : L. danfordi. Kopf pyromidal, lUunpf 

 nahezu walzenfijrmig. Occipitale kleiner als das Interparietale, Masseterieum vorhandcn ; gewtilbte, gegen 

 don Schwau/. bin gekielte Kurapfschupi)en. IS) Sclicnkeldiiisen. L. ijnrea. Kopf und Kumpf ubgeiilattet. 

 Occipitale grosser als das Interparielale, Masseterieum lehlend ; /.ieuilich Haclie, gegen den Schwanz bin 

 schwach eiagedriiekte Kumpfsduippeu. 22-24 Scheukcldriisen." ^LeJriaga, o^>. cU. p. 240.) 



