This fine lizard, the giant of the genus Acanthodactylus, was 

 discovered a few years ago in Syria by M. Henri G-adeau de Kerville, 

 who obtained several specimens at Jerud and Ata'ibe, east of 

 Damascus, and near Khan Agach, between Damascus and Kutaife. 



7. aASTROPHOLIS. 



OastrophoUs, J. Gr. Fischer, Abh. Nat. Ver. Hamb. ix, 1886, i, p. 1 ; 

 Bouleng. Cat. Liz. iii, p. 7 (1887). 



Head-shields normal. Nostril pierced between the 

 nasal and a postnasal.* Lower eyelid scaly. Collar well 

 marked. Dorsal scales small, juxtaposed; ventral plates 

 obtusely pointed, imbricate, keeled. Digits subcylin- 

 drical, with smooth scales inferiorly. Femoral pores. 

 Tail long, cylindrical. 



East Africa. 



Apart from the keeled ventral plates this genus shows the characters 

 of Nucras, but it is equally related to Lacerta, as the form and lepi- 

 dosis have more in common with L. echinaia than with any other 



* This statement has been challenged by Tornier, who appeals to a, photo- 

 graphic figure given by him to show that I must have been mistaken. This 

 figure is, however, so blurred that it fails to establish his point. I can malre 

 no correction to my original definition of the genus. 



