202 THE REPTILES OF EGYPT. 
second loreal, third and fourth labials, anterior subocular, and first supraocular ; six or 
seven very low infraorbitals ; one postorbital ; temporals l-f-2. Generally eight upper 
labials, rarely 9 or 10 ; lower labials usually 8, rarely 7 ; the sixth upper labial usually 
below the middle of the eye, rarely the fifth or seventh ; two azygos postmentals, with 
a pair of large shields behind them followed by 3 or 4 large shields, one behind the 
other, separated from those of the opposite side by a longitudinal line of smaller 
shields. Body surrounded by 22-26 rows of scales, those on the middle of the 
back nearly thrice as large as the largest ventral scales ; each scale on the upper 
surface of the body with either two or three grooves running along it longi- 
tudinally, with the rest of its surface covered more or less with fine irregular raised 
lines and depressions ; these markings are all but obliterated on the scales on the 
side, and nearly disappear on the under surface, but they are generally present more 
or less on the throat in adults. Two large anal shields, larger than the parietals. 
Limbs well developed, but short ; the fore limb, when laid forward, may reach the 
middle of the eye or may extend beyond the eye ; digits moderately short ; upper 
surface of the manus covered at the base of the digits with five longitudinal rows of 
scales, one to each digit, the row corresponding to the fourth finger being the broadest ; 
but in the pes there are 8 such rows, an additional row being interpolated between 
each digit from the first to the fourth ; ungual scute moderately large ; claws 
compressed, curved. Tail short, broad at the base, depressed, afterwards slightly 
laterally compressed, rounded above and below. 
Colour of the upper surface of the animal pale orange-yellow or greyish yellow ; the 
head from the snout to the vertex, and along its sides to the ear inclusive, generally 
deep bluish black, but the lower half of the rostral and most of the anterior upper 
labials yellowish white ; six or seven broad transverse bands of the same colour across 
the back, the first on the neck (sometimes absent), the second behind the shoulder, the 
third on the middle of the body, the fourth on the loins, and three on the tail, the 
terminal one generally the broadest ; these black dorsal bars are sometimes almost 
wanting, being only represented by a few black blotches or faint blackish margins to 
the scales in the regions generally occupied by them, but the black tip to the tail is 
always indicated ; sides and underparts yellowish white or nearly white. 
The following table shows that there is very little variation in the number of labials. 
Professor Peters recorded 9 and 10 upper labials in his specimen, but he probably 
regarded as a labial the scale that intervenes between the lower scale of the operculum 
of the ear and the very large scale that I regard as the last labial. The tabulated 
measurements reveal some trifling variations in the sizes of the parts recorded. The 
type from Geryville had 24 rows of scales round the body, and the one in Paris 
from Tunisia had 26, the highest recorded number. 
I kept an example of this lizard under observation for three weeks, but during 
that time it refused to eat, although it was offered a great variety of insects and 
