49 



SciNCTTS coiTiBOSTHis, Blanford. 



Scincus conirostris, Blanford, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1881, p. 677, 

 fig. 1 ; Blgr. Cat. Liz. Brit. Mus. iii. (1887) p. 391. 



3 specimens. 



These fine specimens liave been compared with the types, with 

 which they agree. The ear is covered with two large fringed 

 scales, but, at the same time, it is perfectly distinct. The supra- 

 nasal suture is much broader in some than in others, but it always 

 effectually excludes the frontonasal from contact with the rostral. 

 Two specimens have 26, and the other 28 rows of scales round 

 the body. 



Chalcides (GoNaxLus) ooeliatus, ForskSl. 



17 specimens. 



Some of these specimens have the pronounced coloration of 

 the Berbera lizards, while others, so far as their colour is con- 

 cerned, are in no way distinguishable from those from Egypt. 

 Only in five out of the seventeen are there 28 rows of scales round 

 the body, while twelve have 30, and one 32 rows of scales, thus 

 overlapping the lepidosis of var. iiligugu. 



At Maskat, the character of the coloration is similar to that 

 just mentioned, but associated with it is a marked variation, in 

 the relative development of the black and white spots, like that 

 which occurs at Aden. In this variation the entire upper surface 

 of the lizard is rich dark brown, and in place of the black 

 spots brown ones are substituted, the white darts being reduced 

 to fine points. The labials become nearly entirely brown, with 

 a small white central spot. At Bushire, the typical form of colour 

 is still present, but in intensity it resembles that of the Berbera, 

 Aden, Hadramut, and Maskat lizards ; but, as in the last, some 

 specimens show a distinct tendency to assume the brown garb. 

 At Jask, in Southern Persia, the South Arabian pronounced 

 coloration is preserved, but, strange to say, one specimen from 

 the same locality is pale greyish brown, while another is rich 

 brown. These specimens have 30 rows of scales. In tracing the 

 typical form to the east of Egypt, one is struck by its increase 

 in size over those found in the Nile Valley, and in this respect 

 the Arabian lizards also recall those found in Somaliland, but 

 they have never the thick heavy bodies of var. tiligugu. 



In the accompanying Table (p. 50) it will be seen that the 

 variations that occur in the Hadramut lizards are very trifling as 

 a whole. 



