lU [No. 2, 



Note on the getojs Gtmkops, W. Blanf., (Lacertid^), — 

 5y W. T. Blanfoed, F. G. S., C. M. Z. S. 



[Received 12th April, 1873.] 



In the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal for 1870, Vol. xxxix, 

 Pt. II, p. 357, 1 proposed to distinguish a new and peculiar form of Ophiops 

 from Chhatisgarh by the subgeneric title of Gymnops. The species, to 

 which I applied the name of Ophiops {Gymnops) microlepis, differs from 

 the typical forms of Ophiops found in India and Western Asia in its more 

 elongate proportions, longer tail, single postnasal and minute dorsal scales. 



Dr. Stoliczka has since obtained the same species in other parts of In- 

 dia and especially in Kachh (J. A. S. B. 1872, Vol. xh, Pt. II, p. 90 and 

 Proc. A. S. B. 1872, p. 74), and he has adopted the name Gymnops as a generic 

 term, founding the distinction from Ophiops mainly on the difference in the 

 character of the dorsal scales, which are much smaller and more granular 

 than in true Ophiops, although they are distinctly keeled and imbricate. 

 Quite recently Proc. A. S. B., July 1872, p. 126, Dr. Stoliczka has described 

 a second species Gymnops meizolepis from Kalabagh on the Indus. This 

 has somewhat larger scales than G. microlepis, but it possesses the same 

 elongate form, the tail from the anus being more than twice the length of 

 the body, and it again presents the peculiarity of a single postnasal instead 

 of two or three as in Ophiops. 



But the name Gymnops, whether considered as generic or subgeneric, 

 cannot be retained for this type of naked-eyed lizards, as it has been twice 

 employed in ornithology, having first been applied by Spix to a South Ameri- 

 can genus of Raptores, for which, however, an earlier generic title viz.. Dap- 

 trius existed, secondly by Cuvier to a Malayan genus of Sturnidw, allied to 

 Eulahes. 



Under these circumstances I propose to change the name of the Indian 

 lacertian genus, above specified, to Chondrophiops in reference to its some- 

 what granular scales. 



