Lacerta. 91 



short head, amounting to absolute identity in some cases, the shorter 

 limbs and tail, the low number of femoral pores, the frequent presence 

 of a dark dorsal band and of four or five series of light spots on the 

 sides in the young, and the black dots which are so frecjuently present 

 on the lower parts. On the other hand we must not overlook the fact 

 that the proportions of L. viridis vary very considerably ; and as 

 L. schreiberi agrees essentially in its lepidosis with L. viridis, with 

 which it is completely connected, I do not hesitate to place it in the 

 system as a variety of that species, close to the var. strigata, regarding 

 both as directly derived from L. agilis* 



The head is li to Ij times as long as broad (pileus 1 1 to 2 times), 

 and is contained 8i- to 4 times in the length to vent in males, 4 to 

 4| times in females. The hind limb reaches the elbow or the axil 

 in males, the wrist or the elbow in females ; foot as long as the head 

 or a little longer (not more than \). Tail !■} to 2 times length of 

 head and body. 



The rostral just touches or enters the nostril ; the frontal is some- 

 times very short, not longer than broad and shorter than its distance 

 from the nasals, occasionally trilobate in front ; the occipital is variable 

 but i;sually larger than in the typical form, sometimes as long and 

 twice as broad as the interparietal ; the granules between the supra- 

 oculars and the superciliaries form an incomplete series, 2 to 8, or 

 may be entirely absent ; the second loreal is rarely in contact with 

 the second upper labial; the subocular is often not or but little 

 narrower beneath than above ; the second upper temporal is often 

 broken up into two or three shields ; the temporal shields are very 

 variable, 18 to 39 in number, usually 21 to 30 ; a masseteric disc is 

 usually distinct and small, sometimes large, sometimes absent ; no 

 tympanic shield, with one exception.t Instead of the third chin- 

 shield forming a long suture with its fellow, as in the other forms of 

 L. viridis, these shields are often separated from each other by 

 granular scales or form but a short suture, thus agreeing with the 

 typical L. ocellafa, in wliicli this feature is of frequent occurrence. 



The following anomalies in the head-shields desei^ve notice. An 

 azygos prefrontal is present in 25 per cent, of the specimens 

 examined. In two specimens X the intei-parietal is fused with the 

 occipital, in two others § an additional shield is intercalated between 

 • Should any critic object to this sui^gestion on the ground of the wide 

 geographical separation of the lial>itats of these two varieties I must refer him 

 to the distribution of the genera Blaniis, Pelobates, and Pelodijies. 

 t Young from the Serra de Gerez, in which it is well developed. 

 X Monchiqiie, types of var. gadovii. 

 § Galicia and Serra de Gerez, females. 



