234 Lacertidss. 



The coloration, however, varies enormously, and the passage from 

 the typical form is so complete that certain specimens may be referred 

 almost eciually well to the one form as to the other. For instance, 

 one of the females from Lerici has the black network on the Ijack 

 much broken up and a well-marked light dorsolateral streak, and 

 would l)e unhesitatingly referred to the f. fypica but for the rather 

 large black spots on the belly, arranged in regular longitudinal series. 

 For it is frequently the case in this variety that the black ventral 

 spots run together to form longitudinal bands. In some specimens 

 from Tuscany the black may be as much developed on the lower parts 

 as in an average specimen of the var. nigriventris. The dorsal markings 

 are very variable, usually affecting the form of a close network, but 

 sometimes appearing as disconnected blotches or vermicular lines ; a 

 vertebral chain of spots may be present. A male specimen from 

 Florence, in Dr. de Bedriaga's collection, is almost identical with the 

 usual form of the var. albiventris, being green above, with a vertebral 

 band of black spots and black on the sides spotted with whitish. 

 Black and white sj^ots usually form very regular and conspicuous bars 

 on the sides of the tail. 



Dr. Gestro has very kindly sent me a large number of specimens 

 collected indiscriminately in the immediate vicinity of Grenoa ; this 

 series goes far to show the instability of the characters on which the 

 distinction between the var. hrueggemanni and the typical form rests. 

 Some specimens are not at all separable from the latter, while others, 

 of the most vivid grass-green on the back, answer to the former ; and 

 between these two extremes every possible gradation in shade may be 

 followed. A female is green above, with a black vertebral series of 

 spots, brown on the sides, yellow beneath. The back in others may 

 be coppery-brown, or greyish brown, greenish grey or olive, or green 

 in front and brown behind. The colour of the lower parts varies 

 equally, and irrespective of that of the upper parts. Most specimens 

 are white on the belly, often with a brownish, pinkish, or greenish 

 tinge, uniform or more or less spotted with black ; in one male with 

 olive-green back the lower parts are copper-red, with black spots 

 confined to the collar-plates and to the two outer rt)ws of ventral 

 plates. An interrupted or continuous series of turquoise-blue spots is 

 always present on the outermost row of ventral plates. The back, in 

 the males, is always much spotted or reticulated with black or dark 

 brown, and a l)lack vertel»ral line or regular series of spots is often 

 present ; the sides are brown or purplish, with black network, often 

 enclosing round blue or green spots ; a blue, black-edged ocellus is 

 often present above the axil. One of these specimens is so strikingly 



