Lizard from Sijr'in. 189 



and of which a selected set has been proseiitod hy him to the 

 IJritish Museum. Among them are examples of a new 

 Acantliodactyhis, which, being the largest of the genui*, I 

 propose to call 



A ca n tJwdactylus grn n dis. 



Snout sliort, either obtuse or rather pointed ; nostril in tho 

 centre of a very pronounced swellin:;. Form heavy, liinhi 

 short. Four supraoculars, first and fourth often broken up ; 

 Bubocular not reaching the lip, resting on the fourth and fifth 

 or fifth and sixth upper labials ; (eu)poral scales granular, not 

 keeled; 4 or .'> conical scales form a denticulafion in front of 

 the car. Dorsal scales very small, convex, not keeled, hardly 

 enlarged on the posterior part of the back ; 58 to 64 scales 

 across middle of body. Ventral plates not or but little 

 broader than long, forming very oblique longitudinal and 

 angular transverse series, the latter containing 16 or 18 

 (rarely 14) plates in the middle of the body. Collar free and 

 strongly toothed. Pra\'inal scales small and subcqual. 

 Hind limb reaching the axil or the shoulder; foot not or 

 but little longer than head ; fingers and toes short, the former 

 surrounded with four series of scales and lamella', the latter 

 with three ; lateral denticulation feeble, the projecting 

 pointed scales much shorter than the diameter of the corre- 

 sponding part of the toe. 16 to 24 femoral pores on each 

 side. Upper caudal scales feebly keeled, lower smooth. 

 Greyish or fawn-colour above, with at least traces of 8 

 longitudinal series of dark spots on whitish streaks ; the 

 dark spots form transverse bands on the tail ; sides of head 

 with more or less distinct vertical dark bars; lower parts 

 white, tinged with yellow on the limbs and tail. 



mm. 



Total length of male 2G5 



From snout to vent 10.'1 



„ ,, „ fore limb 40 



Length uf head (to ear) 24 



^Vidth of head 20 



Fore limb 33 



Hind limb 53 



Foot 25 



Tail 1G2 



Several si)ccinun3 were obtained at Jerud and Ataibe, east 

 of Damascus, and near Khun Agach, between Damascus and 

 Kutalfe. 



