Apeltonotus. 125 



combiuing the dorsal scales of Apeltonotus dorsalis with the other 

 characters of Tachydronms amiirensis we would have the connecting 

 link between the latter and Lacerta vivipara. 



1. APELTONOTUS DOESALIS. 



Tachydromus dorsalis, Stejneger, Smithsou. Quarter!. (Misc. Coll. 

 xlvii), 1904, p. 294, and Herp. Japan, p. 229, fig. (1907) ; Van 

 Denburgh, Proc. Calif. Ac. (4) iii, 1912, p. 242. 



Apeltonotus dorsalis, Bouleng. t.c. p. 234. 



Body feebly depressed. Head If times as long as broad, its depth 

 equal to the distance between the centre of the eye and the tympanum, 

 its length about 4 times in length to vent ; snout acutely pointed, a 

 little longer than postocular part of head, with sharp canthus and 

 vertical, slightly concave loreal region. Pileus 2|- times as long as 

 broad. Neck a little narrower than the head. Limbs slender, with 

 very long digits ; the hind limb reaches the shoulder in males, not 

 beyond the axil in females ; foot a little longer than the head. Tail 

 3 to 3j times as long as head and body. 



Nostril between three shields ; nasals forming a very short 

 suture behind the rostral* ; frontonasal longer than broad ; prefrontals 

 forming an extensive suture ; frontal about If times as long as broad, 

 as long as its distance from the end of the snout, narrower behind tlian 

 in front ; parietals about 1^ times as long as broad, outer border 

 convex ; interparietal small, narrow, longer than the occipital ; 3 

 or 4 supraoculars ; if 4, the first small and granular, followed by a 

 series of granules separating the supraoculars from the superciliaries, 

 which are 5 in number. Rostral entering the nostril ; a single post- 

 nasal; anterior loreal much smaller than second; 4 upper labials, 

 rarely 5 or 8, anterior to the subooular, which is a little narrower 

 beneath than above ; temporal scales small, strongly keeled; an enlarged, 

 keeled anterior upper temporal ; a short and very narrow tympanic shield. 



Pterygoid teeth present. • 



4 pairs of chin-shields, f the 3 anterior in contact in the middle ; 

 gular scales granular anteriorly, gradually enlarged, imbricate, and 

 keeled towards the collar, 26 to 30 in a straight median line ; collar- 

 plates large, pointed, keeled, 10 in number. 



* Eostral in contact with the frontonasal in one specimen examined by Van 

 Denburgh, 



t Van Denburgh notes one specimen as having 4 shields on one side and 5 

 on the other. 



