1904,] Nelson Annandale — The Lizards of the Andamans. 19 



large collection (over one hundred specimens), made by different collectors 

 in different islands of the Andamans and Nicobars, only by their 

 greater size and more pronounced crest, which is interrupted in 

 a very distinct manner just behind the neck and raised on a fleshy, 

 laterally compressed hump in front of this point. On the whole, 

 I am inclined to regard them not as representing a local race or 

 even, an incipient species, but as aged individuals of the common 

 form. Against this view must be placed their rarity — and Major 

 Anderson tells me that he has examined very large numbers of 

 specimens without finding any like them. However, the adults of 

 some Agamids (e.g., G. horneensis and Aphaniotis fusca in the Malay 

 Peninsula, fide Laidlaw (9)) are seldom taken as compared with the 

 young, while in some cases (e.g., that of Calotes cristatellus in Lower 

 Siam) the largest individuals are only seen in very deep jungle, where 

 of course there is less chance of their capture. 



Of Varanus salvaior, one of the bulkiest of lizards, I need say 

 very little. It has practically the same range in Asia as Gehyi-a 

 mutilata (except that it is found nearer the heart of India) and extends 

 eastwards to Australia. Although it cannot be carried accidentally on 

 ships, it is extremely tenacious of life and has frequently been observed 

 swimming in salt water, though never far from shore. Probably 

 it might survive in the sea for a considerable period clinging to 

 a floating log, for it can go without food for weeks, if not months, 

 without apparent inconvenience. 



The Skinks, judging from the enormous number of closely allied 

 species in the family, are among the most plastic of lizards ; yet some of 

 them have an extensive distribution. Of the Andaman forms, Mahuia 

 multifasciata is the common Skink of the Malay Peninsula and extends 

 northwards into Burma, possibly into Sikhim, southwards and east- 

 wards into the Malay Archipelago. Specimens from the Andamans, of 

 which I have seen a considerable number, may differ to a slight 

 extent, on the average but not individually, from those taken on the 

 mainland ; for the proportion with quinquecarinate dorsal scales is pro- 

 bably greater than that given by Flower (10), who examined a large 

 series in Malaya. M. tytleri and L. macrotym'panuwi are only known 

 from the Andamans. L. maculatum has a range similar (as far as the 

 mainland of Asia is concerned) to that of V. salvator ; L. olivaceum does 

 not extend so far to the north, but is characteristically Indo-Malayan. 



In comparing the Agamidse and Scincidse of the Andamans with 

 those of the Nicobars, we find that several forms occur in the later 

 group which are absent from the Andamans but have Malayan or Mala- 

 bar affinities. Calotes jubatus, apparently common in the Nicobars, occurs 



