158 



ME. G. A. BOrLENGEE ON THE 



VI.— MALTA AND LINOSA (Supplement). 



With insufficient material before me, I referred, in my previous contribution, the 

 lizards from Malta and Linosa to L. ser^pa, and maintained the var. Jilfolensis for the 

 larger form from the Filfola Eock, near Malta. I now "find that the characters 

 for separating the latter entirely break down, but the Maltese and Linosa varieties are 

 sufficiently distinguished by their coloration and their average smaller scaling to be- 

 separated from the var. serpa. I therefore retain the name filfolensis, but apply it to 

 the lizards from the main island and from Linosa, as well as to those for which it was 

 originally intended. Much as I regret using so unsuitable a designation, in view of the 

 extended range of the variety, I am compelled to do so in preference to the alternative 

 of proposing a new name. I can quite conceive these lizards being united with the var. 

 quadrilineata from Corsica and Sardinia, from which some specimens are, to my eye, 

 undistinguishable. The only characters which can be adduced in favour of their 

 separation is that in the var. qimdrilineata there are usually fewer than 70 scales 

 across the body (56 to 75 being the ascertained range of variation), and the rostral 

 usually touches or enters the nostril, and in i\\e\^,v. Jilfolensis there are usually more 

 scales and the rostral very rarely touches the nostril *. Further, I am not prepared 

 to say that I could, in all cases, tell a Maltese lizard from certain specimens of the 

 var. serpa from Italy, or of the var, insidanica from Pianosa, near Elba. I may repeat 

 it again, most of these forms are undefinable by the characters to which we have to 

 resort, however greatly they seem to differ when only their extremes are compared ; 

 and that is why, until they can be properly diagnosed, I refrain from allowing them 

 the rank of species. In its very fine lepidosis this variety shows special affinity to the 

 Balearic var. lilfordi. 



The Maltese lizard is now represented by a series of 19 specimens, received from 

 Mr. Despott (first four specimens in the table of particulars), Mrs. F. H. Pollen (fifth 

 specimen, figured, PI. XVII. fig. 6), and Capt. H. Lynes. 



* In 8 specimens out of 70 examined. 



t This specimen has two rows of pseudopores, as have been observed in L. sardoa. 



