110 F. Stoliczka — On Indian Lizards. [No. 1, 



in the allied new species, presently to be described, I would attach hardly any 

 significance to these enlarged scales, but the variability of this character will 

 be important in a comparison with other allied genera ; 3rd, the ventral scales 

 are in young specimens of Ch. dorsalis distinctly keeled, and even in old ones 

 the keels are generally traceable on the breast and in front of the anus. A 

 peculiar character of the type species, Ch. dorsalis, consists in the very 

 small scales of the body, but this character loses its value by the other 

 species, Ch. Blanfordana, having all the scales comparatively much larger. 



If, after this brief explanation, we compare with the above noted 

 characteristics of Charasia those of Oriocalotes, as recorded by Giinther, (I. 

 R., p. 146), we find that there is no essential distinction between the two. 

 According to the description of the species, the body of Oriocalotes minor 

 would seem to be less depressed, and there is besides a shoulderfold noticed, 

 but I doubt that these characters can be looked upon as generic differences ; 

 they are certainly not regarded as such in the genus Calotes. The type 

 species described by Giinther, 0. minor, is from Sikkim,- but I have unfortu- 

 nately never met with it. The only other species, O. major, noted by 

 Jerdon from the Sutlej valley, (Proc. Asiat. Soc, Beng. 1870, p. 77) I con- 

 sider intermediate between O. minor and Charasia Blanfordana. 



There also appears to be very little difference between Charasia and 

 Acanthosaura, and I think it doubtful that the species of the latter are 

 arboreal in their habits ; however, I have never observed them alive. 



A third form is Gunther's Oriotiaris (I. E,., p. 150). The only known 

 species, O. tricarinata, was often observed by me in Sikkim ; it is like Chara- 

 sia a ground lizard. The sole important difference from the latter genus, and 

 the so-called Oriocalotes, consists in the absence of a shoulder or gular fold, 

 a character which I do not consider to possess generic value. I believe, 

 therefore, that Charasia, Oriocalotes, and most probably also Oriotiaris 

 should form only one genus, to which Acanthosaura is very closely allied, if 

 at all distinct. The three former are certainly ground lizards, as are also 

 Japalura, Agama, Stellio, while Calotes is often not much more arboreal than 

 terrestrial, JBronchocele is chiefly, and Tiaris entirely, arboreal. 



Chabasia Blantoedana, n. sp. 



Charasia dorsalis, Gray, apud Blanford, Joura. Asiat. Soc. B., 1870, vol. xxxix, p. 368. 



PI. Ill, fig. 5 and 5a. Upper and side views of tlie Lead, natural size. 



Head elongately ovate, or subtrigonal, considerably shorter and blunter 

 in young than in old specimens, with the paratoids very much swollen in the 

 adult male. Head covered with small, subequal, carinated scales, those at the 

 sharp edge of the canthus rostralis and above the eyes somewhat larger than 

 others. Nasal shield large, swollen, single, the opening directed laterally 

 upwards ; a minute spine, or a tubercle, at the posterior end of the superciliary 

 edge ; two spines above the tympanum, one situated on the occiput and the 



