These observations, together with other details discussed 

 by STUGREN and VANCEA, confirm the peculiar nature of the 

 variability in the viviparous lizard. It may be designed as 

 clinal variability in the sense of J. HUXLEY. 



In a second example, Eremias arguta PALL, did not evolve 

 in Rumania by the way of allopatric speciation. The species 

 reaches its westernmost point of distribution in Rumania where 

 it occurs in small isolated populations only. The isolated 

 colonies in the Danube Delta and in the typical steppe habitat 

 of southeastern Moidova, at Hanu Conachi, do not present any 

 differences of subspecific, taxonomic value (BACESCU, 1937). 

 Utilization of statistical methods (FUHN and VANCEA, 1961; 

 STUGREN, 1961a), did not show significant differences between 

 populations. It is obvious that geographical and genetical 

 segregation between the populations of E. arguta did not lead 

 to evolution by means of allopatric speciation. Despite the 

 favourable conditions for the evolution of separate geographical 

 races, the event did not take place. Therefore I suggest that 

 the mechanisms of natural selection have a reduced action in the 

 isolated colonies of E. arguta , from Rumania. The populations 

 are small, their variability is uniform. It seems that non- 

 selective forces (such as the Sewall Wright effect) are direct- 

 ing the evolution of those populations. I consider these facts 

 contradictory to the theory of geographical races and to the 

 theory of allopatric speciation also. An objection might be 

 raised that the isolation of populations of E. arguta in 

 Rumania is a recent one, dating probably only from the holocene 

 age. But according to the theory of geographical races, 8,000 

 years - and the isolation is probably not more recent than this - 

 are quite enough for the development of subspecies. 



In my opinion, in other species of Lacertidae, there are 

 also some characteristics which show a clinal variability. 

 The color pattern of Lacerta agilis exigua EICHW. , a subspecies 

 inhabiting a large area east of the Dnieper, gradually fades 

 towards the west. But some specimens of L. agilis from the 

 Danube Delta still present a distinct color pattern. Since this 

 opinion is based on the examination of only a few specimens from 

 the Danube Delta and the Southern Ukraine, it was not possible 

 to use statistical methods. I consider also the variation in 

 the pholidosis of the temporal region of the head in Lacerta 

 viridis (LAUR.) to be clinal. For instance, a big scutellum 



