LACEETA MUBALIS IN" WESTERN EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA. 355 



sides ; 42 to 62 scales across the middle of the body, usually 47 to 59 1 ; 3 or 4, rarely 

 2 or 3 2 or 4 or 5 3 transverse series correspond to one ventral plate, 29 to 45 to the 

 length of the head. 



Ventral plates in 6 longitudinal and 23 to 32 transverse series; the plates of the 

 two median series as broad as or narrower than those next to them. 



Text-fiff. 2. 



a. b. c. 



Proeanal region of Lacerta muralis. 

 a. $ , Eaux-Bonnes. 6. g , Eaux-Bonnes. c. <J > St. Malo. 



Praeanal plate (text-fig. 2) very variable, but usually large, bordered by one semicircle 

 of small plates, often with an outer semicircle of smaller plates or scales. Scales on the 

 upper surface of the tibia granular, more or less distinctly keeled, usually smaller than 

 those on the back, rarely nearly as large. 22 to 28 lamellar scales under the fourth toe. 



Femoral pores from 13 to 25 on each side, usually 16 to 21 4 . Caudal scales 

 (in the basal fourth) usually narrow, truncate or more or less obtusely pointed, the 

 upper more or less sti-ongly keeled, the lower smooth or feebly keeled ; the whorls 

 alternately longer and shorter, this feature more distinct in some specimens than in 

 others; the fourth or fifth whorl behind the postanal granules contains 25 to 32 

 scales, exceptionally 20 5 . 



Coloration. 



Upper surface varying from grey to brown, sometimes with a tinge of greenish ; two 

 light, whitish, yellow, or greenish streaks or series of spots on each side, the upper 

 from the outer edge of the parietal shield to the upper surface of the base of the tail, 

 the lower from the upper lip, through the ear, to the groin (PI. XXIV. figs. 3 & 4) ; 

 between these two streaks, on each side, a black or dark brown band, which may be ■ 

 spotted with whitish, yellow, bluish, or greenish ; the back often spotted or marbled 

 with dark brown or black ; frequently a dark brown or black vertebral stripe or series 

 of more or less confluent spots. Some specimens, especially males, entirely marbled 



1 The minimum (42) occurs in a female from Voslau, near Vienna, the maximum (G2) in a female from 

 Dinant (PI. XXY. fig. 5). 



2 In a male from St. Halo and in a male from Pontaineblcau. 



3 In a male from Dinant, in a male from St. Malo, in a female from Eaux-Bonnes. 



1 The minimum (13) occurs in a female specimen from Viisluu, near Vienna. I cannot agree with Werner 

 (Zool. Jahrb., Syst. xiv. 1903, p. 333) when he says that tho number of femoral pores increases with ago. At 

 least this is contrary to my experience in this lizard, quite young specimens from Franco and Germany having 

 1G to 19, as in adults. 



Again in the aberrant specimen from Voslau. 



