of the Lizard Ophiops elegans, Men. 159 



considerably in the lepidosis, move or less according to the 

 districts it inhabits, and lias, in consequence, given rise to 

 the establishment of a certain number of species, untenable as 

 such. However, with a large material (I have carefully 

 examined about 350 specimens) it is just possible to draw up 

 definitions justifying the retention of some of these forms, 

 whilst degrading them to a subordinate rank. 



The typical Ophiops elegans was founded on specimens 

 from Transcaucasia, in which, according to Boettger, the 

 number of scales and plates round the body varies between 

 34 and 40 *. Those examined by me are from Asia Minor 

 (Angora, Kaisarieh, Albistan, (riaour Dagh). 



The varieties which I recognize are four in number. 

 Their characters are contrasted with those of the typical form 

 in the following synopsis, intended to apply to scries of 

 specimens : — 



32 to 41 (usually 34 to 40) scales and plates round 

 middle of body; 7 to 13 (usually 9 to 12) 

 femoral pores ou each side ; collar distinct only 

 on tho sides ; occipital small or very small .... Forma typica. 



28 to 34 scales and plates round middle of body ; 8 to 

 12 (usually 9 to 11) femoral pores on each side ; 

 collar distinct only on the sides ; occipital small 

 or very small Var. ehrenbergii. 



30 to 37 (usually 31 to 36) scales and plates round 

 middle of body; 8 to 11 (rarely 12) femoral 

 pores on each side ; collar often distinct, some- 

 times free across the throat ; occipital rather 

 large, sometimes 2 to 2| times the width of the 

 interparietal Var. persicus. 



30 to 34 scales and plates round middle of body ; 11 

 or 12 femoral pores on each side; nostril be- 

 tween 3 shields, a single postnasal being- present. Var. mizolc}>is. 



38 to 49 (usually 40 to 46) scales and plates 

 round middle of body; 10 to 16 (usually 11 to 

 15) femoral pores on each side ; collar and gular 

 fold of ten distinct ; occipital small or very small. Var. sehlueteri. 



Var. ehrenbergii. 

 Amystes ehrenbergii, Wiegm. A.rcii. f. Naturg. 1835, ii. p. 1. 



As has been pointed out by Boettger, the specimens from 

 Western Asia Minor and the Southern Sporades differ from 



* Having counted them in 70 specimens from Angora, 1 find 16 speci- 

 mens with 36 scales and plates, 12 with 37, 11 with 38,8 with 40, 7 with 

 39, 6 with 35, 6 with 34, 2 with 33, 1 with 32, 1 with 41. 10 femoral 

 pores in 58, 11 in 46, 9 in 22, 12 in 9, 13 in 4, 8 in 1. 



12* 



