Dr. A. Giinther on Reptiles from China. 167 



with a variation of the number of the chin-shields *. In all 

 the numerous specimens of T. septentrionalis and T. smarag- 

 dinus the number of inguinal pores is invariable. More 

 especially with regard to the true T. sexlineatus, of which I 

 have examined some forty examples f, the number of chin- 

 shields is invariably three and that of inguinal pores very 

 rarely exceeds two ; in three specimens (two from Borneo) 

 I have observed one pore only. 



What follows from these observations is : — 



1st. That the species examined by Stoliczka differs from 

 the other species of the genus in having a greater number of 

 inguinal pores and, therefore, in being liable to more frequent 

 variation in this respect. 



2nd. That that species must be distinct from T. sexlinea- 

 tus and had better be distinguished by another name — -T. 

 eikkimensis. 



Specimens of T. sexlineatus from Khassya, in the British 

 Museum, have on the whole a somewhat shorter and less 

 tapering snout, also shorter toes than the typical form, and 

 approach in these respects T. meridionalis. 



This latter species has been placed by Mr. Boulenger 

 (' Lizards,' iii. p. 4) as a synonym of T. sexlineatuSj but 

 besides being a less slender species, the four specimens have 

 one inguinal pore only, like T. septentrionalis, in which the 

 constancy of this character is a remarkable and incontro- 

 vertible fact. 



Of the five species united by Mr. Boulenger [l. c. p. 5) 

 under the name of T. tachydromoides, T. septentrionalis is the 

 one the distinctness of which from the Japanese form or 

 forms can be least impugned. We have now no less than 

 twenty-seven specimens before us, a most instructive series as 

 to the value of the characters by which this species has been 

 defined. Only two of the specimens, from Shanghai, difier 

 from the others in having a series of small scales intercalated 

 between the outer pair of large scaled series. According to 

 Stoliczka's estimate of the specific cliaracters in Tachydromus 

 these two specimens should be relegated to a distinct species ; 

 and if this peculiarity should prove to be constant in the 

 form inhabiting that district, I myself should be inclined to 

 separate it from T. septentrionalis. 



Schlegel figures in the * Fauna Japonica ' his T. tachydro- 



* One individual of T. Wolteri has three on one and four on the other 

 side, which, of course, proves nothing, as in every lizard almost any two 

 contiguous head-shields may be found abnormally confluent. 



t Half of this number belong to the Museum of Genoa, having been 

 kindly forwarded to me by the Marquis J. Doria. 



12* 



