ACANTHODACTYLUS. 147 
ACANTHODACTYLUS '. 
Acanthodactylus, Wiegm. Herpet. Mex. pt. i. 1834, p. 10. 
Nostril defined by the first labial and two nasals. Collar more or less present. No 
occipital shield. Digits with a strong lateral fringe and keeled plates below. Lower 
eyelid scaly. Dorsal scales rhomboidal, more or less carinate, imbricate or non-imbricate. 
Ventrals quadrangular, smooth, feebly imbricate. Tail more or less cylindrical. 
Femoral pores present. 
As pointed out by M. Lataste, A. scutellatus and A. cantoris are distinguished from 
all the other species by the presence of four well-defined rows of scales around the 
fingers, viz. a dorsal, a ventral, and two lateral rows, one to each side of a digit. The 
interno-lateral row is never fully developed in the other species, but I have observed 
the presence of a few small straggling scales occupying its position in vulgaris, 
micropholis, boskianus, schreiberi, and pardalis. 
In all the species of the genus there are only three rows of scales around the toes, 
viz. a dorsal, ventral, and one externo-lateral. It is this last row, composed of more 
or less sickle-shaped scales of varying strength, that constitutes the fringe ; but 
the inner distal angle of each dorsal scale may be so developed as to constitute a 
denticulation, but never a true fringe. 
1 It has been stated by Professor Gasco that two examples of Lacerta ocellata, Daud., were obtained by 
him near Alexandria. He referred them to a variety which he called lepida. It seems highly improbable, 
however, that Lacerta ocellata occurs in Egypt, and as Gasco did not distinguish between Eremias guttulata, 
Licht., and E. rubropunctata, Licht., it is just possible that he may have mistaken an ocellated specimen of 
the former for L. ocellata, Daud. Of course this is only guesswork ; but so unlikely is it that the last- 
mentioned species should be found at Alexandria, that I feel compelled to suggest some explanation of how 
the error may have arisen. 
He also records Psammodromus algirus, Linn., and says " this species, which abounds in Algeria and Spain, 
was collected by us only in the neighbourhood of Alexandria." My impression is that in this case also we 
have an error of identification, and that Gasco had probably before him some species of Acanthodactylus. 
Professor Vaillant, in Bevoil's 'Mission to Somaliland,' meutions the occurrence of Tropidosaura algira = 
P. algirus at a place called Darror. Through Professor Vaillant's kind permission I have been enabled to 
compare Kevoil's specimen with one from Algeria, with which it fully agrees. The presence of P. algirus i 
Somaliland, if it really occurs there, is a very remarkable fact in distribution. It is noteworthy, however, 
that it has never been preseut in any other collection from Somaliland. 
u2 
