242 Lacertids'. 



consist of a spot on the upper surface of tlie snout and a streak on the 

 upper border of the orbit, an elongate spot on the upper lip in front 

 of the eye, a bar behind and below the eye, another behind the ear, a 

 round spot aliove the shoulder, three longitudinal streaks on the body, 

 the median forked on the nape, and round spots ou the limbs. The 

 three streaks, or only the dorsolateral, may be broken up, some young 

 having 4 nuchal and 3 dorsal series of elongate spots. 



The light streaks are uninterrupted in all the half-grown and adult 

 specimens examined, and are sometimes black-edged. The adults are 

 greyish, yellowish or reddish brown above, with more or less distinct 

 small black spots or vermiculatious between the streaks, the limbs 

 with light, dark-edged ocellar spots ; the vertebral streak, the only 

 one present in the type of E. dorsalis, is usually continued some way 

 down the tail, which is reddish, sometimes with a dark lateral streak ; 

 upper lip and lower parts white. 



It is quite evident, from specimens in process of casting the juvenile 

 livery, that the series of spots which distinguish some young are 

 gradually connected so as to form the continuous streaks which seem 

 to hie constantly present in all adults, and this is particularly noteworthy 

 as contrary to the rule in lizards, in fact an inversion of the process 

 which lias been laid down as a law )iy Eimer and others, as has been 

 explained above when dealing with Lacerta and Nucras. There are, 

 however, e.xceptions to all rules, and this one appears to fall in witli the 

 frequent cases of deviation fi'om the straight course of evolution, as 

 exemplified by larval forms in so many groups of the animal kingdom. 

 It seems that in this Eremias the black colour of the lower parts and 

 the discontinuous dorsal streaks are to be looked upon as such a break 

 in the straight course of evolution. That this eccentric livery is not 

 yet fixed is shown by the young specimen from Huxe, noticed above, 

 which has not deviated from the normal course. 



Measurements (in millimetres) ; 



with black, and above variegated with three golden yellow longitudinal stripes, 

 either continuous or interrupted, the central stripe bifid near the head ; tail 

 generally light red ; extremities black or brownish, with yellow spots." In his 

 later description (184'5) he adds : " I am not acquainted with any lizard which 

 varies so greatly in colour ; some specimens are obtained almost entirely black, 

 with three yellow lines, others with the lines broken into linear sjjots, and 

 others again with the sides and back yellowish brown, variegated with lines 

 either yellow or light buff-orange." 



