256 JOVBNAL, NATUBAL HIST. 80GIETV OF SIAM. Vol. I. 



and others on the back, etc." In the Bangkok specimen, as with an- 

 other from Den Chai, the onl}^ two which I have seen alive, these white 

 cross-bands were, during- life, of a bright lemon-yellow colour, whilst 

 in the former also, a j'ouug specimen, the dark brown was pure black. 



MALCOLM SMITH. 

 Odoher, 19L5. 



No. IV.— ON THE BREEDING HABITS AND COLOUR 

 CHANGES IN THE LIZARD, CALOTES MYSTAOEUS. 



A pair of these lizards, caught at Paknampo in January of last 

 year, bred whilst in captivity, and afforded me an opportunity of 

 observing their liabits during this ])eriod. Like other species of the 

 genus Calotefi in confinement, they were extremely wild and shy, and 

 would never allow themselves to be handled. They fed, however, 

 freely on insects of all sorts. For the first six weeks of captivity, 

 they were evidently too much distui'bed to show any colour changes, 

 and remained a mixture of dull greys and browns of varjang shades. 



The courtship, which was continued until the eggs were laid, 

 was much the same as that described for C. versicolor, (Robinson, 

 P. Z. 8. p. 858. 1899.) and consisted for the most part in absurd 

 bowings and noddings of the head.* This was commenced hy the 

 male, and was usually, after a short time, responded to by the female. 

 The pair invariably faced each other on these occasions, arching their 

 backs and puffing out their throats to the full extent. The vivid hues 

 assumed by the male (and slightly so by the female) during this per- 

 formance, transformed him into a truly gorgeous creature. The 

 head and fore-part of the body became of a light electric blue 

 (sometimes green ) colour, the gular pouch dark purple, whilst the 

 pale sti'ipe which borders the upper lip, and passes on to the shoulder, 

 turned almost white, and stood out in strong contrast to its sur- 

 roundings. 



They were first observed in copula on May 9th, and after that 

 were frequentl}^ seen together. On June 21st, I observed the female 

 busy with the earth in the flower pot in the cage. She did not like 

 being watched, and ceased operations as soon as she saw me, but by 

 hiding behind a door I was enabled to observe the rest of the pro- 

 ceedings. The eggs had been already laid, and she was then engaged 

 in covering them up, raking the earth over them with her fore-paws 

 and hammering it down with her nose. The male, perched on a 

 branch above, watched the performance with great interest, and 

 I was surprised to see him, in the midst of it all, suddenlj^ race down 

 to his mate and engage her. She, finally, completed her task, smooth- 

 ing the earth completely over at the spot, so that no traces were left to 

 show that anything had been done there. I iif^ver saw her near tlie 

 spot again, and she appeared to take no further interest in her pro- 

 geny. The eggs were placed about 2 inches deep in the earth, and 

 had the usual soft, white parchment-like covering. They were 7 h\ 



