464 MR. W. T. BLANFORD ON THE [A^pi- 5, 



4. Notes on the Lizards collected in Socotra by Prof. I. 



Bayley Balfour. By W. T. Blanford, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 



[Received AprU 1, 1881.] 



(Plate XLIT.) 



The Lizards collected in Socotra by Dr. Balfour belong to six species, 

 three of which appear to be undescribed. The species are ChatncB- 

 leon monachus, Hemidactylus homceolepis, sp. nov., Pristurus 

 rvpestris, P. insignis, sp. nov., Ereniias {Mesalina) baJfouri, sp. 

 nov., and Euprepes perrotteti, var. I add some remarks on these 

 species, vfith descriptions of the new forms. 



Chameleon monachus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 470, pi. xxxi. 



Nine specimens brought. None are so large as the type, nor are 

 the occipital lobes in any so much developed ; but in all other details 

 of structure the correspondence is exact. 



The original type of this species in the British Museum was 

 received from this Society in 1855, with the locality Madagascar. 

 This locality, after the discovery of the same Lizard in Socotra, 

 must be considered doubtfid. Nothing is more probable than that 

 Chamaeleons, which live well in captivity, should be transported alive 

 from one African island to another. 



Hemidactylus (Liurus) hom(eolepis, sp. nov. (Plate 

 XLIL fig. 2.) 



H. parvus, sqvamis suhaqvulibvs vncUqtie mdiiitis, sine (tibercnlis 

 majoribus ; cauda roUuidata, haudverticillata; imgiiibus minutis ; 

 pvris inguinalilvs paucis, femoralibus nullis ; scutis svjiralabi- 

 alibus 8, infralabiaUbus 7. 



Body and tail covered with small scales without any tubercles. 

 Last joint of thumb present ; all claws very minute, that of the 

 thumb especially. Tail rounded, not verticillate. Four inguinal 

 pores in the only male examined ; they are arranged in a curve with 

 the convexity directed forwards ; no femoral pores. Eight upper 

 and seven lower labials. Ear-orifice about the size of one of the 

 hinder upper labials. 



The flat rounded subgranular scales covering the trunk are sub- 

 equal in size, but in the middle of the back they are rather smaller 

 than on the sides. Those on the occiput are very small ; on the 

 nose they are rather larger and more convex. Scales of the ab- 

 domen small, no larger than those on the sides, and passing so 

 gradually into the latter that it is impossible to count the number 

 exactly ; but there are more than 40 across the belly. Transverse 

 lamellae 5 or 6 beneath the thumb and first toe, 7 to 9 beneath the 

 other digits, the proximal two or three on each digit being un- 

 divided. The scales above the tail and on its sides are about the 

 same size as those on the back, and are arranged in not very distinct 

 rings, each composed of a single row of scales ; there is no division 

 into segmental verticils as in most species of Hemidactylus. A row 



