VARIETIES OF THE WALL-LIZARD. Heys 
and confined myself to statements of facts. Such statements, presented in an unbiassed 
spirit, are, I believe, what are most needed at the present moment. Although to 
a great extent destructive from a taxonomic standpoint, I do not think the labour 
bestowed on such an investigation has been wasted, as the checking on a large 
Text-fig. 1. 

A. Lacerta fiwmana; Band C. L, bedriage: after Méhely. 
Material of several characters, to which undue importance has recently been ascribed, 
results in a much more precise knowledge of the individual variations and local varieties 
than we would otherwise acquire of such a widely distributed and polymorphic species 
as Lacerta muralis. I therefore believe that the controversy which has been going on, 
and which will probably continue for some time, between Prof. Méhely and myself, 
is not only to the advantage of systematic herpetology, but constitutes a useful contri- 
bution towards the solution of the problem of species. 
‘This paper was read before the Zoological Society on May 21, 1912, but as several 
months have elapsed between that date and that of setting up in type a few additions 
to the MS. have been made in the meantime (Sept. 10, 1912). 
A list of the specimens preserved in the British Museum collection is appended 
(pp. 206-214). 
I.—CENTRAL EUROPE (Supplement). 
Forma TYPICA. 
The species Lacerta muralis was first described by Laurenti from the neighbourhood 
of Vienna. In my preceding contribution, | mentioned two specimens as topotypes 
from that part of Austria, and pointed out that one is highly aberrant in several 
respects,—larger scales, absence of the anterior supraocular, and abnormal division 
of the parietal shields by a transverse cleft (see Tr. 1905, pl. xxv. fig. 4). Having 
since inquired from Dr. Werner as to whether he had other examples from the same 
locality (Véslau, near Baden, Lower Austria), 1 was greatly surprised to hear that 
an examination of his material had satisfied him that this division of the parietal 
shields, instead of being anomalous or accidental, is the rule in Lower Austria. 
u2 
