2484 SCALED REPTILES 



brown. The ornate thorny-tail ( U. ortiatus) of Egypt and Syria differs from the 

 other three members of the first group in that the scales of the tail form complete 

 rings, those on the lower surface being as long as those on the upper. 



With the exception of one species ( U. microlepis} inhabiting Persia, the mem- 

 bers of the first group are confined to Africa, Arabia, and Syria, whereas the three 



ARABIAN THORNY-TAILED UZARD. 

 (One-third natural size.) 



representatives of the second group are exclusively Asiatic, one ( U. loricatus) being 

 from Persia, the second ( U. asmussi) common to Persia and Baluchistan, while the 

 third ( U. hardwickei) is an inhabitant of Baluchistan and Northern India. In the 

 whole of these three Asiatic species the rings of spiny scales on the upper surface of 

 the tail are separated from one another by rows of smaller smooth scales. In the 



