EAST AFMCAN LIZARDS. 947 



The largest male niensured 12 inches (165 + 240) ; this must bo 

 something of a record for the species ! 



Preserved specimens give one a very poor idea of the colouring 

 dining life. The following is taken from a Nairobi specimen 

 collected 14. viii, 20 : — " Top of head coppery-green, sides of head 

 bright verdigris-green, edges of lower jnw the same. Throat 

 light cobalt-blue, a few white spots below ear-drum on bnso of 

 j;i.ws. A black blotch in front of each shoulder united by a dusky 

 ]>;itch across neck. Vertebral lino from head to base of tail 

 occupied by a chrome stripe tending to green near the tail. 

 Anterior surface of fore-arms cobalt-blue. Breast region dark 

 blue and dusky copper colour; belly lighter, with vermiculations. 

 Sides brownish, with black vermiculations and scattered yellow 

 scales. Under surface of all limbs and upper and lower surface 

 of tail brown." 



A Kilosa specimen, the large one whose measurements have 

 just been given, had "Head bright cobalt-blue or coppery-green, 

 psiJer scales intermixed with the darker on the sides of face; 

 Dark blue on median line between eyes to about the occipital 

 scales. Throat bright blue in centre, remainder pale blue and 

 olive marbled with darker. Body olive, but beavily marbled 

 with black and speckled with blue. Tail pale olive at base, 

 merging into blue about half its ■leilgth. Lower Surfaces of 

 boiiy, limbs, and tail pale sandy or slightly rufous." 



This Agama consumes an enormous quantity of ants. I have 

 also found what were apparently orthppterous eggs in its 

 stomach. . ■ >. 



I think that this Agama is the Mjombak?lka of the Waswahili, 

 concerning which they believe that it will intercede for men 

 condemned at the day of judgment, when toads will come and 

 spit water upon them to alleviate their pain {Koch). This is 

 very interesting in vieAV of the fact that N. African Agamas sire 

 detested by good Mahomedans, who see in their bobbing heads a 

 caricatui-e of the Moslem at prayer and think the lizard mocks 

 them. In this action of the A^gama the Wakavirondo see a like- 

 ness to the motions of a woman's head whilst grinding corn, nnd 

 consequently, when they see an Agama bobbing its hekd, enquire 

 if its mother is grinding to-day. 



Z o N U R I D .E. 

 ZONURUS TROPIDOSTERNUM: Oppe. !/ 



Blgr. Cat. Liz. ii. 1885, p. 254. , ' , 



One Zonure was caught running over papers on the table in a 

 tent at Msimba., Ilonga ; another was found in the stomach of an 

 immature female Bare-faced Hawk {Polyhorides typicus) at 

 Kipera, 5. viii. 22. Some two months later the former was 

 caught and eaten by a baby lemur which shared the same cage. 

 The Zonure fed readily on grasshoppers during its captivity. 



