On the Common Aijama of the Transvaal. 331) 



wide as the central black annulus, wliijli is double the width 

 of the outer ; the space between the parietal shields and tiie 

 first black annulus only f the length of the head ; upper 

 head-shields all black, edged with white in front. 



Total leiigtii 685 millini.; tail 45. 



A single feaiale specimen from Cruz del Eje. 



This snake is closely allied to E. frontalis, D. & B., from 

 which it differs principally in having the first lower labial 

 separated from its fellow by the symphysial. 



16. Lachesis Neuwiedii, Wagl. — Cruz del Eje. 



LVIT. — A new Name for the Common Afjama of the 

 Transvaal. By G. A. BouLE>JGEii, F.R.S. 



I HAVE hitherto identified with Agama hi<tpidi, Linn., the 

 small Agama which occurs in abundance ab )ut Pretoria, and 

 which agrees very closely with that species in the very short 

 head and the shortness and proportions of the fingers and 

 toes. Renewed examination shows, however, that not only 

 does the Transvaal lizard constantly possess a yellowisli verte- 

 bral band which is absent in the one from the Cape and lack 

 tlie wide- meshed dark network on the belly characteristic of 

 the young of the latter, but structural characters exist by 

 which specimens from both parts of South Africa can be 

 recognized quite apart from the coloration. These characters 

 are to be found in the larger size of the ear-opening and 

 the absence or feeble development of the keels on the ventral 

 scales in the Transvaal Aii^ama. In bestowing a name on 

 the species now distinguished, I cannot choose a better one 

 than that of the naturalist who has paid so much attention to 

 the fauna of the Transvaal, and to whom the British Museum 

 is indebted for the first specimens of this lizard, wiiich I 

 propose to designate as Agama Dislanti. Tiie specimens 

 examined by me are from Pretoria and Rustenburg. The 

 largest male measures 82 millim. from snout to vent, tail 100; 

 the largest female 85 and 63. 



The lizard from the Modder River described by Prof. Bar- 

 boza du Bocage as Agama pulchdla (Jorn. Sc. Lisb. [2] iv. 

 1896, p. 110), which has also a liglit vertebral band and 

 faintly keeled ventral scales, has longer hind limbs, the fourth 

 toe longer than the third, and is probably not separable from 

 A. aculeata. 



24* 



