130 ME. a. A. BOULENGEE ON THE EEPTILES 



A. hosManus occurs from Southern Algeria and Tunis through Tripoli and Egypt to 

 Syria and Arabia ; it is also found in Abyssinia. It is common in the Algerian and 

 Tunisian Sahara, and rare on the Algerian Plateaux. M. Lataste found it on the 

 plateau at Bordj Medjez, Msila, and Ngaous; in the Algerian Sahara at Bordj Tayer 

 Rason, Ghardaia, Berrian, Tilremt, Laghouat, Bou-Saada, and on the route from Bou- 

 Saada to Biskra, and received specimens obtained by M. Maury at Kreder, Prov. of 

 Oran, near the Sahara and the Moroccan frontier ; in Tunisia at Cabes, Zarzis, Djerba 

 Island, Limagues, and Ferriana. 



Figured, ' Description de I'Egypte,' Eept., Suppl. pi. i. fig. 9. 



2. AcANTHODACTYLus scuTELLATUS, Audouin, 18:i9. 



Snout acute. Four supraoculars, fourth sometimes broken up ; front edge of the 

 ear usually strongly denticulated. Dorsal scales small, rhomboidal, keeled, slightly 

 enlarged towards the posterior part of the body. Ventral plates as long as broad, or a 

 little longer than broad, rarely a little broader than long, in irregular longitudinal and 

 angular transverse series ; 14 to 18 plates in a transverse series in the middle of the body. 

 Digital denticulations strong, at least as long as the diameter of the corresponding part 

 of the toe, much more developed on the outer than on the inner edge of the fourth toe. 

 Greyish or pale buif above, dotted or reticulated with darker ; white beneath. 



This is a very variable species. The Sahaiian examples are smaller, more slender 

 and lighter-coloured than the typical form from Egypt, and the name var. exiguus 

 (=zScaptira inornata. Gray) has been bestowed upon them by Lataste. 

 The following notes are taken from Algerian and Tunisian examples : — • 

 Dorsal scales very distinctly keeled, juxtaposed, usually passing very gradually 

 into the marginal ventral shields, the exact number of longitudinal rows of which is, 

 therefore, often difficult to ascertain ; there are at least 14 well-defined ventrals in a 

 transverse series across the middle of the body, and the number may rise to 18. CI to 

 74 scales (ventrals included) round the middle of the body. Preeanal shields often all 

 small and subequal. Subocular never reaching the lip, from which it is usually sepa- 

 rated by one or two additional labials intercalated between the (normally) fourth and 

 fifth. Femoral pores 18 to 25. 



From snout to vent 50 millim., tail 90. 



The range of A. scutellatus extends from Senegambia through the Sahara to Egypt, 

 Somaliland, the Sinaitic Peninsula, and Syria. It is only found iu the sandy parts of 

 the Sahara, just penetrating to some points of the Plateaux. M. Lataste obtained it in 

 Algeria, at Biskra, Mraier, Tuggurt, Bled Ahmar, Hadjira, N'gousa, Tilremt, Laghouat, 

 Ain-el-Hel, and Bou-Saada, and received from M. Maury specimens at Ain Sefra, in the 

 south of the Province of Oran ; in Tunisia, at Wed-el-Kreil, Kebili, Tozeur, and Nefta. 

 It is not on record from Morocco, although it surely exists in the Saharian parts ; we 

 have specimens obtained not far from the southern limit of Morocco, viz. from Cape 

 Jubi, near Cape Nun. 



Figured, ' Description de I'Egypte,' Kept., Suppl. pi. i. figs. 7 & 11. 



