Laeerta. 43 



on the sides the scales becoming smaller, feebly and diagonally keeled, 

 and then again increasing in size, oval, round, or square, smooth or 

 faintly keeled and passing more or less gradually into the outer 

 ventral plates ; 33 to 47 scales (usually 86 to 40) across the middle 

 of the body ; 2, or 2 and 3 lateral scales correspond to a ventral 

 plate ; 16 (?) to 30 ((J ) transverse series of scales, in the middle of 

 the back, correspond to the length of the head. Ventral plates 

 overlapping, more or less distinctly detached from each other on the 

 posterior border, in 6 or 8 longitudinal and 24 to 31 transverse series. 

 (24 to 29 in males, 27 to 31 in females) ; the plates of the second 

 series from the median line much broader than the others ; the outer 

 plates, vrhen 8 series are present, i to f the size of those of the 

 adjacent series. 



Preanal plate large,* bordered by one, rarely by tvsro semicircles 

 of smaller plates or scales, none of which are much enlarged ; usually 

 6 to 8 scales bordering the preanal. 



Scales on upper surface of tibia smaller than dorsals, strongly 

 keeled, sometimes rugose with granular asperities.t 16 to 23 (usually 

 18 to 21) lamellar scales under the fourth toe. 10 to 17 (usually 

 11 to 14) femoral pores on each side. J 



Caudal scales rather narrow and straight above and beneath, 

 broader and more or less oblique on the sides, dorsals and laterals 

 strongly keeled, without or with rather indistinct apical sensory pits, 

 pointed posteriorly § ; the whorls nearly equal in length, the fourth 

 or fifth behind the postanal scales containing 24 to 36 scales. 



The coloration and the markings are highly variable, and the latter 

 cannot be well understood without a knowledge of the var. exigua, 

 which is evidently in a less advanced condition in this respect. 



It has been stated that the young at birth is marked all over with 

 yellowish white, brown- or black-edged ocelli, irregularly distributed 

 or with a mere tendency to form longitudinal series, and that this 

 livery represents the Seps argus of Laurenti. A reference to Laurenti's 

 description II and figure shows however that the young examined by 

 him had the ocelli disposed in regular longitudinal series. It is quite 



* Divided in a female from Odensjo, Sweden, and in another from Southport. 



+ A male from Vienna is in this respect very similar to L. mosorensis. 



X 8-9 in a male from Poole, according to Bell. 



§ In a male from Bournemouth, the point is as obtuse as in some specimens 

 of the typical L. muralis. 



II "Ocelli medio flavi, ciroulo nigro cincti: dorsales obsoletiores, minus 

 distinct! ; ad nucham vagis, sed extimse lineam affeotant. Laterales dis- 

 tinctissimse, in sole aureo-fulgidse, in tres phalanges, quarum infima utrinque 

 imperfectior, ordinatiB." 



