324 Lacertidte. 



Head and body much depressed, as in L. oxycephala. Head \\ ta 

 If, times as lont^- as broad, its depth, in the tympanic region, equal to 

 the distance between the centre or the posterior corner of the eye and 

 the anterior border of the tympanum ; snout pointed, as long as post- 

 ocular pai't of head ; cheeks moderately swollen in the male ; length 

 of pileus 2 to 2} times its width. Neck at least as broad as head. 

 Hind limb reaching the axil or the shoulder in the male, the wrist or 

 the elbow, in the female ; foot as long as or a little longer than the 

 head. Tail cylindrical, flattened and with a median dorsal gi-oove at 

 the base, 1} to a little over 2 times as long as head and body. 



Nostril between the nasal, one or two postnasals, and the first upper 

 labial, the rostral being always excluded. Nasals separated from, each 

 other, the rostral forming a more or less extensive suture with the 

 frontonasal* ; prefrontals forming a median suture. Frontal usually 

 as long as its distance from the rosti'al, sometimes a little longer or a 

 little shorter, 1,} to If times as long as broad, usually broader, behind,, 

 than the supraoculars. Parietals 1^ (young) to If times as long as 

 broad, not in contact with the upper postocular. Occipital much 

 shorter than and as broad as or a little bi'oader than the interparietal. 

 The two major supraoculars, Avhich are equal in length or the first 

 slightly the longer, separated from the superciliaries by a usually 

 complete series of granules f ; first supraocular small, never in contact 

 with the frontal ; fourth also small and in contact with the anterior 

 supratemporal.+ 6 or 7, rarely 8§ superciliaries, first largest, the 

 suture between first and second usually vertical, rarely oblique. Usually 

 two superposed postnasals |1 ; anterior loreal sometimes as long as 

 second, usually shorter. As often 4 as 5 upper labials anterior to the 

 subocular,^ the lower border of wdiich is not or but slightly shorter 

 than the upper. Temporal region with small or rather large granular 

 scales ; masseteric shield usually large, oval or elliptic, rarely small ; 

 tympanic present ; a large supratemporal, Avell visible from above, 

 usually followed by one or two smaller shields. 



* There are, however, rare exceptions, according to Schreiber. 



t According to Schreiber the series may sometimes be reduced to a few- 

 granules. I have myself seen a specimen (Dalmatia, Bedriaga collection) 

 with only 4 granules on one side and 5 on the other. 



I " Fast immer," fide Schreiber. 

 § Or 5, according to Mehely. 



II Schreiber, Avho has examined more than 60 specimens, regards a single post- 

 nasal as very exceptional, and I also find 2 postnasals in the 4 specimens from 

 Baba Planina. It is therefore remarkable that ovxt of 12 specimens from the 

 Biokovo Mt. received from Prof. Kolombatovir, 5 have a single postnasal. 



^ Out of 32 cases, I find 18 with 4 labials and 14 with 5. Mehely finds 

 usually 5, often 4, rarely 6. 



