28 Lacertidse. 



the tympanum and above the fore limb to the thigh, on the posterior 

 side of which it reappears and is continued on the base of the tail. 

 These light streaks may be broken up into regular series of spots, 

 either on the back and sides or only on the sides, where they may be 

 separated by narrow blackish bars ; series of black spots may run 

 between them, as well as a series of blue, black-edged ocelli between 

 the two lateral streaks, or they may be crossed on the back and sides 

 by more or less regular, straight or wavy blackish bars. Very fre- 

 quently there is a dark brown or black vertebral streak, extending 

 from the occiput to the base of the tail, or disappearing or broken up 

 into a series of spots on the posterior part of the body. In other speci- 

 mens there is no trace of either light or dark longitudinal streaks, and 

 the back is irregularly spotted or reticulated with brown or black, and 

 the sides of the head, neck and body are barred with black and white 

 ■or bluish grey. A dark band usually runs along the side of the tail. 



The following description of fresh specimens of the typical form 

 from the African littoral of the Red Sea is given by Anderson : 



" Olive-brown above, variegated with reddish brown. A rich, dark 

 brown, narrow vertebral line from the occiput to the base of the tail, 

 and three rich reddish longitudinal, but more or less interrupted 

 bands external to it, marked at intervals with brown spots and 

 forming vertical brownish bars on the sides of the body and neck, 

 enclosing bluish and yellow interspaces, which assume the form of 

 ocelli. Sides of the head also more or less marked with vertical bars, 

 and likewise the upper labials. Sides of the tail yellowish, with a 

 dusky longitudinal band. Under surfaces white. Males much more 

 brilliantly coloured than the females." 



O. Neumann mentions a half-grown specimen from Modjo, Somali- 

 land, in which the back is uniformly red, as in the so-called variety 

 erythronota of Lacerta agilis. 



Measurements (in millimetres) : 



