934 MR. G. A. BOULENGER ON A [DeC. 15, 



(4) Hemisus has a single pear-shaped' posterior lymph-heart, 

 which, unlike that of Rana, lies in the saccus iliacus. 



(5) Xeno'pus has a chain of three perfectly distinct posterior 

 lymph-hearts on either side of the body, which lie in the 

 saccus iliacus. 



(6) In Rana gwppyi the single posterior lymph-heart of each 

 side is completely divided into two consecutive chambers. 



(7) Neither in Hemisus nor in Rana guppyi is there any 

 division of the anterior lymph-heart. 



(8) Hemisibs possesses a hyoid which is remarkable in several 

 ways and unlike that of other Bati-achians. The extra- 

 hyals are large and meet in the middle line below and not 

 in contact with the body of the hyoid ; the latter consists 

 of a cartilaginous plate continuous with the corona, which 

 is greatly thickened posteriorly by a nucleus of laxer 

 tissue, and above which lies a plate of bone — not imbedded 

 in it, but distinct from it. 



(9) A comparison of Hemisus with Brevice'ps and Rhinoderma 

 allows of the extraction of cei-tain characters apparently 

 distinguishing the Engystomatidfe, i. e. specialization of 

 muscles of floor of mouth, division of sternohyoid, con- 

 nection of rectus internus minor with skin. 



(10) Hemisus, though a burrowing and ant-eating genus like 

 Breviceps, shows compai-atively few special structural like- 

 nesses to it. The principal i-esemblances are : partial 

 inchision of limbs within the trunk ; (?) absence of omo- 

 hyoid and rhomboideus ; great strength of muscles 

 attached to the shoulder and fore limb, which, however, 

 are not entirely the same muscles in the two types ; the 

 modifications of the muscles of the hyoid and the floor of 

 the mouth, which are to some exteirt similar in the two 

 types. But the many differences in the abdominal and 

 dorsal muscvdature obscure and outweigh the special 

 likenesses, which might be i^eferied to similarity in habits 

 and mode of life. 



2. Description of a new Species of Lacerta from Persia. 

 By a. A. BouLENGER, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. 



[Received October 13, 1908.] 



(Plate LXVII.*) 



Lacerta chlorogaster. 



Head moderate, once and three-fifths to once and three-fourths 

 as long as broad ; snout moderately long, obtuse. Rostral not 

 touching the nostril ; one postnasal ; a single anterior loreal ; 

 four (rarely five) upper labials anterior to the subocular; a 

 complete series of granules between the supraocular and the 



* For explanation of the Plate see page 936. 



