LACEBT A MURALIS IN WESTERN EUROPE AND NORTH AFEICA. 377 



the authority of Bedriaga, not having been able to examine specimens of that form), 

 and var. tiliguerta (subsp. neapolitana Bedr.). 



The question whether the third assemblage represents a distinct species or should 

 be regarded as formed of one or more subspecies or varieties of the true L. muralis 

 has remained an open question. But a better understanding of the second form has 

 led recent workers l to the conclusion that it is only a slight modification of the 

 typical form, leading gradually to the more southern var. nigriventris of Bonaparte, 

 with which it has even been proposed to unite it. 



The identity of the brown L. muralis of Northern and Middle Italy with the lizard 

 occurring north of the Alps has never been questioned ; and there is, in fact, no means 

 of telling one from the other. An excellent description, with figures, of this form 

 will be found in Camerano's ' Monograph of the Lizards of Italy ' 2 , based chiefly 

 on specimens from Piedmont, Liguria, Lombardy, Venetia, Tuscany, and Umbria. 

 Some of the specimens from Liguria evidently belong to the var. brueggemanni, and 

 the determination of the specimens from Naples 3 , Malta, and Linosa need revision. 

 Bedriaga's var. brueggemanni and Bonaparte's var. nigriventris were placed by Camerano 

 in the synonymy of L. serpa. 



In his diagnosis of L. muralis, Camerano gives the depth of the head in the 

 tympanic region as equal to the distance between the posterior border of the eye 

 and the tympanum ; while in L. genei and L. serpa, which he regards as specifically 

 distinct, this depth is stated to equal the distance between the anterior border or the 

 centre of the eye and the tympanum. Most of the Italian L. muralis f. typica 

 examined by me agree with the majority of Central-European specimens in having 

 the depth of the head equal to the distance between the centre of the eye and the 

 tympanum 4 , but a few from Turin and Genoa agree with Camerano's definition. The 

 hind limb may reach the collar in males 5 . 



I here give particulars of some of the specimens (typical form) examined : — 



Domo d'Ossola S 



» >> ¥ 



Turin cJ 



» 



? 



1. 



2. 



3. 



4. 



5. 



6. 



7. 



65 



51 



25 



10 



23 



20-19 



1 



58 



60 



27 



8 



27 



23-21 



2 



6-1 



56 



25 



10 



26 



23 



1 



62 



58 



25 



11 



25 



21-21 



1 



57 



58 



28 



8 



28 



19 



1 



57 



55 



29 



8 



22 



23-21 



1 



1 Lehrs, Zool. Anz. 1902, p. 227; Mehely, Ann. Mus. Hung. ii. 1904, p. 365. 



2 Mem. Ace. Turin. (2) xxxvii. 1S85, p. 518. 



This, Count Peraeca informs me, is probably referable to the var. brueggemanni. 



1 The same observation has been made on numerous specimens from Rome (var. nigriventris) by Tositano 

 Spada, Boll. Soc. Rom. i. 1902, p. 90. 



1 Specimens from Turin and Florence. 



3d 2 



