LACERTIDyT,. 



single ; postorbital find i)ostfrontotcmporal arches complete ; inter- 

 orbital septum and columfUa cranii well developed ; palatines and 

 pterygoids separated on the median line. Skiill with bony dermal 

 platco, roofing over the supratcmporal fossoe. 



Limbs well developed, pentadactyle. Clavicle dilated and per- 

 forated proximally ; interclavicle cruciform. Tail long, fragile. 



Pupil round. Eyelids well developed. Ear-opening distinct. 

 Femoral pores iisually present. 



Head with symmetrical shields ; those on the upper surface are 

 (normally) a frontonasal, a pair of pracfrontals, a frontal, two to 

 four supraoculars, a pair of frontoparietals, a pair of parietals, an 

 interparietal, and an occipital. The latter shield is absent in many 

 species, and so are the frontoparietals in the genus Holasj'is. Dorsal 

 scales juxtaposed or imbricate, usually smaller than the ventrals, 

 which form longitudinal and transverse series. 



Inhabit Europe, Asia, and Africa; absent from Madagascar. 

 Most abundantly represented in Africa ; few in the East Indies. 



JSyno2)sis of the Genera. 



I. Frontal"platc scpai'ated from the interparietal by a pair of fronto- 

 parietals ; tail not much depressed. 



A. Nostril above the first labial, from which it is separated, if at 

 all, by a narrow rim ; transparent palpebral disk, if present, 

 considerably smaller than the eye. 



1. Inguinal, but no femoral pores 1. Tachydromus, p. 3. 



2. Femoral pores. 



fl. Ventral plates keeled .... 2. For om era, p. G. 

 b. Ventrals smooth. 



Collar well marked ; dorsal scales much smaller than caudals ; 

 digits not fringed laterally, not keeled inferiorly. 



4. Lacerta, p. 8. 



Collar well marked ; dorsal scales nearly as large as caudals, 

 strongly imbricate ; digits not fringed laterally, not keeled infe- 

 riorly 5. Algiroides, p. 43. 



Collar very indistinct or absent ; digits not fringed laterally. 



(). Psammodromus, p. 46. 



Collar well marked ; digits not fringed laterally, keeled inferiorly. 



9. Latastia, p. 54. 



Collar more or less distinct; digits fringed laterally and keeled 

 inferiorly 10. Acanthodactylus, p. 58. 



