314 



S A TJ R I A. 



Svx.Microlophus, BUM. & BIBR. Erpet. gen. IV, 1837, 334. GRAY, Catal. Lizz. 

 Brit. Mus. 1845, 221. GUICH. in Gay, Hist, de Chile, Zool. II, 1848, 47. BUM. & 

 A. DCM. Catal. meth. Kept. Mus. d'List. nat. i, 1851, 80. 



Steirolepis, FITZ. Syst. Kept. 1843, 72. TSCH. Faun. Peruan. Herp. 1845, 29. 



OBSERV. This genus represents, as it were, in the New World, that 

 of Brachyloplius, of the Old : both belonging rather to the Austral, 

 than Boreal Hemisphere. The species it is intended to include not 

 having been satisfactorily examined, there is some controversy as to 

 their actual number. Fitzinger adopts six species, three from Peru, 

 and three from Brazil. We have not had an opportunity to examine 

 any specimens of the Brazilian species ; of the Peruvian ones, the 

 Expedition brought home a series of individuals, all identical with 

 Stellio peruvianus of Lesson. Dum^ril & Bibron admit the existence 

 of but one species in Peru. Tschudi, himself, who, of all herpetolo- 

 gists, was most likely to have given us accurate information in that 

 respect, renders their history still more confused by establishing four 

 other species upon the coloration alone, under the names of Steirolepis 

 xanthostigma, S. tigris, S. thoracica, and S. quadrivittata, all from the 

 coast of Peru. 



MICROLOPHUS PERUVIANS, Gray. 



SPEC. CHAR. Scales' on the dorsal region somewhat larger than late- 

 rally. Nostrils approximating the apex of the snout. Iiiframaxil- 

 lar shields well developed. Tail longer than the body and head 

 together. Color olivaceous, speckled, and variegated with black ; 

 a white or black lateral streak. Under surface of head black, else 

 exhibiting angular black lines ; rest of the under surface, unicolor. 



SYN. Stellio peruvianus, LESS. Voy. de la Coq. Zool. II, i, 1830, 40. PI. n, fig. 2. 



Tropidurus heterolepis, WIEGM. Act. Acad. Nat. Cur. XVII, I, 1835, 225. PI. 

 XVii, fig. 1. 



Microlophus lessonii (in part), BUM. & BIBR. Erpet. gen. IV, 1837, 336 GUICH. 

 in Gay, Hist, de Chile, Zool. II, 1848, 48. 



Steirolepis peruvianus, FITZ. Syst. Kept. 1843, 73. BUM. & A. DUM. Catal. rnetb. 

 Kept. Mus. d'hist. nat. i, 1851, 81. 



Microlophus peruvianus, GRAY, Catal. Lizz. Brit. Mus. 1845, 221. 



OBSERV. It is stated, by some systematic writers, that this species 

 is subjected to variations, not only in its mode of coloration, but even 



