220 Lacertidse. 



Further, I am not prepared to say that I could, in all cases, tell a 

 Maltese lizard from certain specimens of the var. alhiventris from 

 Italy. I may repeat it again : most of these forms are undetinable by 

 the characters to which we have to resort, however greatly they seem 

 to differ when only their extremes are compared ; and that is why, 

 until they can be properly diagnosed, I refrain from allowing them 

 the rank of species. In its very fine lepidosis this variety shows 

 special affinity to the Balearic var. lilforcU. 



Head H to 1§ times as long as broad, moderately depressed, its 

 depth equalling the distance between the anterior cornea or the centre 

 of the eye and the tympanum, its length 3^ to 4^ times in length to 

 vent in males, 3| to 3^ times in females. Neck as broad as or a little 

 broader than the head. Body moderately or strongly depressed. Hind 

 limb reaching the shoulder, the collar, or between the collar and the 

 ear in males, the elbow, the axil, or the shoulder in females ; foot 1^ to 

 1| times as long as the head. Tail 1| to a little over 2 times as long 

 as head and body, often very thick, or even swollen in its anterior third. 



Rostral very rarely touching the nostril* ; frontal as long as or 

 considerably shorter than its distance from the end of the snout ; 

 series of granules between the supraoculars and the superciliaries 

 usually inconiplete,t the first superciliary, rarely also the second, in 

 contact with the second supraocular ; parietals 1^ to If times as 

 long as broad, usually in contact with the upper postocularj; 

 occipital very varia1)le in size, as long as or shorter than the inter- 

 parietal, and sometimes broader§ ; upper temporals narrow or 

 broken up ; temporal scales usually small, granular, masseteric shield 

 usually well developed ; four upper labials anterior to the subocular,|| 

 which is much narrower beneath than al)ove. 



27 to 38 scales (in one specimen 21) on a line between the sym- 

 physis of the chin-shields and thQ median collar-plate ; gular fold 

 distinct. Collar even-edged, composed of 9 to 12 (rarely 8) plates^ 

 which are often very small. 



Scales granular-subhexagonal, feebly or faintly keeled, 61 to 85 

 across the middle of the Yiody, usually 64 to 80 ; 40 ( ^j^ ) to 62 ( $ ) 

 transverse series in the middle of the back correspond to the length of 

 the head, 3 and 4, or 4 and 5, on the side, correspond to a ventral 



* In contact with the frontonasal in 2 specimens from Malta. 



t Complete in 3 specimens from Malta, in 5 from Filfola : nsually complete 

 in specimens from Linosa. 



X Exceptions in 6 specimens from Malta, in 6 from Filfola, in 3 from Linosa. 



§ Twice as broad in a specimen from Malta, three times in another. 



II Five on one side in a male and on both sides in a young specimen from 

 Malta. 



