Eremias. 241 



long as the second ; 4. 5, or 6 upper labials to below the centre of 

 the eye ; subocular keeled below the eye, much narrower beneath than 

 above, and bordering the mouth. An elongate, keeled upper tem- 

 poral anteriorly, sometimes followed by 2 to 4 smaller shields, 

 sometimes separated from the parietal by a series of small scales ; 

 temporal scales smooth or obtusely keeled, upper very small, lower 

 larger ; a narrow tympanic shield ; no auricular denticulation, or only 

 2 to 4 projecting granules. Lower eyelid opaque or semitransparent, 

 with feebly enlarged scales in the middle. 



4 or 5 pairs of chin-shields, the 3, rarely 2 or 4, anterior in contact 

 in the middle ; 21 to 29 gular scales in a straight line between the 

 symphysis of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate; no gular 

 fold. Collar curved, free, composed of 6 to 11 plates. 



Scales rhombic, diagonally keeled on the back, usually squarish 

 or hexagonal and smooth on the vertebral line, larger and smooth 

 towards the ventrals ; 66 to 87 scales across the middle of the body, 

 usually 70 to 81. Ventral plates in 6 (rarely 8) straight longitudinal 

 and 25 to 30 transverse series, most of them often at least twice as 

 broad as long, the outer, when 8 longitudinal series are reckoned, not 

 broader than long. Preanal region covered with numerous small 

 scales, mostly irregular, often in even numbers. 



Scales on upper surface of tibia rhombic, subimbricate, keeled, as 

 large as or a little larger than dorsals ; one series of very large and 

 one of small plates on the lower surface. 12 to 18 femoral pores on 

 each side, usually 13 to 17. Subdigital lamellae bi- or tricarmate, 

 25 to 29 under the fourth toe. 



Upper caudal scales very oblique, truncate behind, strongly and 

 diagonally keeled, lower feebly keeled, or even smooth in the basal 

 part of the tail ; 20 to 26 scales in the fourth or fifth whorl. 



Coloration very variable, and young usually remarkable for a very 

 aberrant livery. 



One voung, from Huxe, Benguella, is very similar to E. spekii. 

 Greyish brown above, with black spots forming cross-bars between the 

 white dorsal streaks, three in number, the median forked on the nape ; 

 lower parts white ; tail red. All other young examined from Angola 

 and Bechuanaland are of a deep black above and beneath, with 

 yellowish-white markings* and bright red tail. The markings usually 



■ Peters, in 1862, stated that these markings are vermilion red, like the tail. 

 I think this must be a mistake, for freshly-preserved specimens, in which the 

 bright red is retained on the tail, have the markings on the head, body, and 

 limbs yellowisli white. A. Smith's original description (1838) is as follows : 

 " Colour of the body, above and below, deep black or brown more or less tinted 

 VOL. II. 16 



