20 SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 



Although I feel far from satisfied that the western form is really separable from the eastern 

 (M. sikkimensis), most of the differences pointed out by Dr. Stoliczka appear sufficiently 

 marked to justify the two being kept apart. The general aspect and colour of the two forms 

 are different, and the number of scales round the body appears larger in M. himalayana, though 

 this is variable. In specimens from Mari, there are almost constantly twenty-eight rows round 

 the body, whilst in the Sonamurg examples the prevailing number is only twenty-six. 



There is certainly one specimen in the Indian Museum, labelled E. sikkimensis from 

 Darjiling and presented by Dr. Jerdon, which has thirty rows of scales round the body, but the 

 colouration is so different from that of all other Sikkim specimens, that I cannot but suspect 

 there is some mistake in the locality, for Dr. Stoliczka had large collections from Sikkim, and 

 found no marked variation, whilst the colouration of the specimen from Dr. Jerdon is precisely 

 that of the North- Western form, and it has a large strongly denticulated ear-opening. 



The distinctions noticed by Dr. Stoliczka between the head shields of Mocoa himalayana 

 and M. sikkimensis are not borne out by the large series before me, nor is there, so far as I 

 can see, any constant difference in the limbs, but the ear-opening, as a rule, is decidedly larger 

 and more denticulated in M. himalayana. There are more scales round the body, and there 

 is a marked difference in colouration, Sikkim specimens being much browner and wanting the 

 greenish white line along the lower portion of the side, which is conspicuous in M. himalay- 

 ana. Still it is highly probable, as indeed Dr. Stoliczka suggested, that intermediate forms 

 may connect the two. 



This species appears to be common in Kashmir. The specimens labelled from Mataian 

 were probably collected on the road from Sonamurg, for every other Mocoa from the Indus 

 valley in Ladak belongs to the next species. Mataian itself is on the north side of the moun- 

 tains which separate the Kashmir valley from Ladak. 



15. MOCOA STOLICZKAI ( ?=M. ladacensis). 



Euprspet stoliczkai, Steindachner : Novara Expedition, Reptilien, p. 45. 

 E. kargilensis, Steindachner : ib., p. 4-6. 

 Eumeces ladacensis, Anderson : Proc. Zool. Soc., 1872, p. 375 ;forsan Giintlier : Kept. Brit. Ind., p. 88. 



1-3, Mataian ; 4-8, Kargil ; 9, Namika-la ; 10-16, Kha rbu ; 17-19, Larnayuru all in the Indus valley, Ladak ; 

 20-24, no label. 



It is most probable that there is really only one species of Mocoa in the Upper Indus 

 valley, and that the different names above enumerated belong to it. If this be the case, and 

 if the specimen described by Dr. Giinther be really identical, the species must bear the name 

 of Mocoa ladacensis. But I am unable to identify the specimens brought by Dr. Stoliczka 

 with Giinther's species, because in not one of the individuals collected does the fore foot reach the 

 snout, 1 and because, although the three rows of scales beneath the tail are rather broader than 

 those above, and the middle row is slightly more developed than the other, there is scarcely 

 such a difference as I should suppose to be implied by the character of " subcaudals broad." 

 It must be borne in mind, too, that the locality of Dr. Giinther's type rests upon the 

 authority of Messrs, von Schlagintweit, whose want of accuracy with reference to the localities 

 assigned to their reptilian collections is notorious. 



1 This was noticed also by Dr. Anderson 1. c. 



