AXD BATEACHIANS OF BAKBARY. 



133 



series, the oufer composed of very small plates. Coloration verj' variable, usually pale 

 greyish or brownisli abo\e, with blackish dots or series of black spots and white ocelli, 

 or with a broad dark grey vertebral band, &c. ; young with dark and light streaks along 

 the sides ; lower parts white. 



This is a very variable species, especially with respect to the scaling of the lower 

 eyelid and the development of the collar. Specimen.s with imperfectly transparent 

 eyelid, in which the median disk is broken up into numerous scales, and with the 

 collar distinct only on the sides, have been named E. simoni by Boettger, who has 

 kindly enabled me to examine the type specimens preserved in the Senckenberg Museum, 

 two of which are now in the British Museum. Specimens with similar eyelids, but 

 with the collar free right across the throat, were named E. guttulata by Dumeril and 

 Bibron, and such as have the e\elid perfectly transparent and formed of two scales, 

 and the collar free only at the sides, represent E. pardalis of the same authors. The 

 large number of specimens examined by M. Lataste convinced him, however, that no 

 such division can be carried out, and I arrived at the same conclusion when working 

 out the extensive series in the British Museum. The following table shows the varia- 

 tions in the Algerian and Tunisian specimens in the Museum : — 



(^ , Auraale. 



$ , Tilremt. 



(J , Susa. 



5 , Cubes 



Collar . 



Number of scales in trans- 

 parent palpebral disk . . 



Number of scales round 

 middle of body (ventrals 

 included) 



Femoral pores 



Distinct, attached 

 ill the middle. 



68 

 17-17 



Distinct only at 

 the sides. 



52 



10-10 



Distinct, attached 

 in the middle. 



59 

 14-13 



Free all round. 



52 

 11-10 



The largest Barbary specimen examined by me measures 45 millini. from snout to 

 vent, tail 72. 



The range of E. (jnUidata is a very wide one, extending in Africa from Morocco to 

 Egypt, and in Asia from Arabia and Syria to Sind. In Morocco, the species is recorded 

 by Boettger from Casablanca and between Mogador and Morocco. In Algeria, it is 

 recorded by Strauch from Oran, Algiers, and Lashouat, and by F. Miiller (Verh. nat. 

 Ges. Basel, vi. 1878, p. 625) from the Plateau of Sersou ; M. Lataste obtained it at 

 Biskra, Mraier, Tuggurt, Gardaia, Berrian, Bou-Guelfaia, Tilremt, Laghouat, near 

 Aumale, between Aumale and Beni-Mansour, and at Bordj-Bou-Arrerij. In Tunisia, 

 the species is known from Susa (Brit. Mus.), Cabes, and the Chotts (Andre), and was 

 collected by M. Lataste at Cabes, Hadedj, Tamesred and Matmata, Mettamer, Plateau 

 of Haonaia and Djebel Domeur, Zarzis, Kebili, and Djerba Island. 



Figured, 'Description de I'Eypte,' Kept., Suppl. pi. iii. figs. 1, 2. 

 VOL. XIII. — PART III. No. 6. — October, 1891. x 



