ye 
65 
count, a diagram results that will materially aid in presenting 
the facts. (Vide appendix). 
It may be seen at a glance that the number of gas- 
trosteges varies from 132 to 179, thus indicating a difference 
of 47 somatic vertebre. Further inspection evidences that 
the specimens from the islands have the shortest bodies. If 
these are compared with specimens from Central Asia the 
opposite extreme of the distribution it is seen that they do not 
overlap in respect to this character, the gap of one vertebra 
existing at the numbers 146-147. However, in the immediate 
vicinity of this discrepancy there are ample records from the 
intervening mainland, that is the Ussuri Province and Korea. 
It is clear that the affinities of the Japanese specimens are to 
be found among those from China. The final point to be de- 
rived from this diagram is the fact that no lines of demarka- 
tion or grouping of the specimens exist. Such lines would 
necessarily be found were we dealing with distinct species, 
while their absence is proof that but one species is under con- 
sideration. 
VARIATION IN UROSTEGES. 
The urosteges exhibit a wider range of variation propor- 
tionately than the gastrosteges, the count being from 30 to 58, 
a difference of 28 caudal vertebre. 
Examples. Minimum. Maximum. 
AMG, IRENE) apoogocnsobnCbeocUUsOueneaaeDeOAnOS 182 30 58 
IWaim AMO MAS DECIMNENS Ki ercre certs erro inieeisieiele nis etere tte 138 30 53 
WOM ABPAS ane yercreletansicsevclets octereciors visit sie sisieyerviec 58 32 53 
MASCOT IMMOLD GLI setepe rater sieteleroyetetelareieiavs(aisectekatevs) cfekevote 27 36 51 
IS@RGEY  cigaohoneo Gono oon GbGOunSuBEaBASEnE Sana 24 31 52 
Manetse! Walley, Ga. cients creas « t¥= iis sisieleicle pteleieve ale 29 30 43 
Island Specimens 44 41 58 
IBIOUREIOK) “Ga ScopbococodeGdnudED ac 6 41 52 
EMOWLC Omer reredsteletersiclccstatelaletsfaterssetetey oo 24 45 58 
Hachijoshima ie 2 46 46 
ENV Umber eteiaheteietstereTeletetelcveie/ofaieie ic (elsscsnteie/evncessfeVare 1 50 50 
Sat 6 gna ndesues sunD Os BEoDpADOnEDOoDeaarad 2 45 47 
USO pooanoadoadngou aves douDJonoUaROUNoOODUG 1 48 48 
IIE hie, sooaaonptoonnocaopcudooneoacoadDoaoO 5 41 50 
US U'S ITTV el mmererete pe terarelctersietelsvexeisicravelers\eveval ciel erate relievers 3 44 46 
It occasionally happens that a few of the urosteges are 
entire. These undivided shields are regularly found close to 
the base of the tail. 
With 
a few entire 
Examples. Normal Shields. 
TMOMENL INAeaMeee! coos eccconspoopoodo Moder OBaoOOUDoS 61 51 10 
Ussuri Province S00 3 2 1 
LG GonsdnoussopdDeduonaG a0b 20 17 3 
Siam Pitalitarstfaltopeloraretelorerercuocei< ar 20 16 4 
JENSEN SaosansqdboacHona5ucdononeoboUesodpoouNS 18 16 2 
VARIATION IN. SCALE ROWS. 
Over fifty specimens have been studied for this character. 
They include material from seventeen localities in the eastern 
