1872.] F. Stoliezka — On Indian Lizards. 133 



number ; the fore leg extends generally somewhat beyond the ear, and 

 often as far as the angle of the mouth, but very rarely beyond it ; the hind 

 leg is generally somewhat more than one fourth the length of the body. 



In the form, greater or lesser thickness, and in the length of the 

 body and of the tail, the two first mentioned species are identical, and equally 

 variable ; both have in front of the ear two lobules, the upper of which is 

 the larger one, while the lower becomes occasionally obsolete. Both species 

 also have the shields on the preanal edge slightly larger than those above 

 them, and both have the lower eyelid covered with enlarged shields 

 but in the former the centre large shield is opaque, and generally broken up in 

 two or three smaller ones, while in the latter it always remains entire, but it 

 is generally only in young specimens perfectly transparent. The usual size 

 of either species is a little above 4 inches, the tail if normal being about 

 equal to the length of the body, but often it is reproduced, becoming thinner, 

 or thicker, and shorter, and with the subcaudals often somewhat enlarged. 

 The coloration is generally tolerably distinct in the two species. 



In albopunctata of South India the back is often uniform brown ; in 

 Bengal specimens, each of the six median rows of scales of the back has a 

 black dot, forming longitudinal lines and continuing on the tail, the extreme 

 edges of the upper back are sometimes pale coloured, and some varieties of 

 this type occasionally very much resemble those of Hardwichii ; side s 

 purplish black, spotted with white ; lower side of the tail uniform white, like 

 the vent, or more often each scale with a blackish dot. Legs above black 

 spotted. — This species extends from South India through Central India, the 

 whole of Bengal, into N.-Eastern Asam, and westwards into Pegu. At Cal- 

 cutta it is very common during the winter months, but I have seen extremely 

 few specimens in the time between May and the end of the rainy season. 



R. JETardwickii is more variable in colour. The back and sides of the 

 body are sometimes entirely purplish black ; the edges of the upper back 

 from the nostril, and the whole of the lower side purely white, tail vermilion in 

 young, pale brownish above, white below, in older specimens. Other specimens t 

 particularly those from Northern India, (about Agra and northwards towards 

 the base of the Himalayas), have the four median rows of dorsal scales each 

 with a large blackish spot, or rather the spots are generally situated on the 

 suture between each two scales, and the scales in the two middle rows have then* 

 lower margins apparently serrated ; the upper edges of the back have the usual 

 white or yellowish bands ; the sides are above purplish black, further down paler 

 and each scale has a black spot ; white dots occur- either over the entire side, or 

 only on the anterior half, or they are restricted to the side of the neck ; vent 

 always uniform white ; tail with a black spot to each scale, sometimes absent 

 on the lower side, its general colour fleshy. The reddish or purplish tinge is 

 gradually lost in spirit. — This species is found in South India,* extending 

 * According to Blyth also in Ceylon. 

 18 



