134 MB. G. A. BOULEXGER OX THE REPTILES 



5. Ophiops, Menetries, 1832. 



Nostril between two to four nasals. Ej'elids immovable, the lower united with the 

 upper, with a very large transparent disk. Collar absent or very indistinct. Dorsal 

 scales imbricate and strongly keeled. Digits with sharply keeled lamellae inferiorly, 

 not denticulated laterally. Femoral pores. 



A single species in Barbary. 



1. Ophiops occidentalis, Boulenger, 18S7. 

 Ophiops elegans, Lataste, Boettger. 



Head-shields smooth. Nostril between an upper and a lower nasal, followed by one 

 or two postnasals ; four supraoculars, first and fourth small, all in contact with the 

 supraciliaries ; occipital very small or absent. Dorsal scales very large and sharply 

 keeled, larger than the laterals, and but little if at all smaller than the caudals ; 26 to 

 30 scales round the middle of the body, ventrals included 6 to 11 (usually 7 or 8) 

 femoral pores on each side. Olive or bronzy above, with black spots, and one or two 

 light longitudinal streaks on each side ; lower parts white. 



The North-African Ophiops is closely allied to, but perfectly distinct from the South- 

 Eastern Asiatic 0. eleyans, with which it was at first confounded. The absence of 

 granules between the supraoculars and the supraciliaries at once distinguishes it. The 

 scales are also larger. 26 to 30 round the body instead of 30 to 40. 



The largest specimen measures 41 millim. from snout to vent, tail 98. 



I have given a figure of this species in the third volume of the British Museum 

 ' Catalogue of Lizards,' pi. iii. fig. 2. 



The occurrence of OpJiiops in North Africa was first recorded by Lataste, in 1880 ; 

 but two specimens from Susa, Tunisia, collected by Mr. Eraser, had been for many years 

 in the British Museum. In 1880, also, Peters recorded it from Tripoli (Mon. Berl. Ac. 

 1880. p. 308). And in 1885, Boettger (in Kobelt, Reis. Alg. u. Tunis, p. 467) described 

 a specimen obtained by Dr. Ivobelt at Biskra. M. Lataste obtained it in Algeria, at 

 Batna, Wed Sedeur, Yukuss (near Tebesa), and Fortes de Fer, and examined specimens 

 collected by the Roudaire expedition at the Eastern Chotts ; in Tunisia, at Hadedj des 

 Matmata, and between the latter locality and Cabes, Medina, and at Ferriana and 

 Tamesmida. 



