272 
THE REPTILES OF EGYPT. 
The general colour of the upper surface varies from reddish huff (Algeria), pale 
yellow (Egypt and Persia), to reddish brown (Syria) ; thirty-three to forty-one transverse, 
rhomboidal, dark brown spots on the back, the centres of the scales forming them 
generally paler than their margins, and some of the scales occasionally becoming nearly 
white ; a few obscure dark spots on the sides alternating with the dorsal spots ; eight 
to thirteen narrow dark cross-bars on the tail ; an elongate, dark, longitudinal band 
from the frontal to the nape, occasionally enclosing one or two round white spots, and 
giving off anteriorly a narrow band between the eyes ; an obscure, short, dark band 
below the eye, and another more or less prominent dark band from behind the eye to 
the gape ; underparts white. 
It attains to a length of 455 millim., of which the tail measures 60 millim. 
It does not appear to be at all a common species in Egypt, throughout which, 
however, it must have a wide range, as Peters recorded it from Sennaar. It is found 
in localities presenting the most diverse physical characters — e. g., the arid surroundings 
of the Pyramids of Gizeh and of Suez, the high elevated grassy plateau of Batna 
(3350 ft-), Algeria, under snow in winter, and Sennaar, where the heat is tropical. It 
extends also to Syria, Arabia, Persia, and Baluchistan. 
The specimens here recorded were found under stones lying on loose sandy soil. 
Its food consists of small lizards. 
I have not been able to discover its native name. 
Measurements &c. of L. diadema, Bum. & Bibr. 
in millim.). 
Sex. 
Snout 
to 
Tent. 
Tail. 
Ven- 
trals. 
Cau- 
dals. 
3 
ft 
Labials 
entering 
orbit. 
Sub- 
oculars. 
Pra?- 
oculars. 
Relation 
of 
praoculars 
to 
frontal. 
Tem- 
porals. 
i3 
Locality. 
363 
72 
168 
40 
8 
5 
1 
2 
B. Ex. 
2 + 2 
l 
West of Suez Canal. 
Juv. 
166 
29 
163 
42 
8 
5 
1 
2 
B. Ex. 
L.2+3 
R.2+2 
l 
Abu Roash. 
6 
361 
64 
164 
40 
8 
5 
1 
2 
B. Ex. 
L.2+3 
R.2+2 
l 
Pyramids of Gizeh. 
2 
75 
65 
181 
43 
8 
5 
L. 1 
R. 
1 
B. Ex. 
L.2+2 
R.l+2 
l 
Maskat, Arabia. 
? 
395 
60 
187 
36 
8 
4&5 
1 
1 
B.Ex. 
L.2+3 
R.2+2 
l 
Bushi, S. Persia. 
6 
359 
66 
161 
44 
8 1 
5 
1 
L.2 
B. Ex. 
1 + 1 
l 
Algeria. 
2 
348 
172 
8 
4&5 

1 
B. Ex. 
2 + 2 
l 
AVn Sefra, Algeria. 
380 
68 
164 
40 
8 
5 
1 
2 
l 
Jaffa (Boettger). 
233 
43 
162 
39 
8 
5 
1 
2 
l 
„ 
383 
60 
169 
38 
8 
4&5 
l 
" 
1 Partially divided on left side. 
