Lacerta. '^ 



small ; tympanic constantly present, usually separated from the second 

 upper temporal by one or two series of small shields * ; 16 to 22 gular 

 scales ; 7 to 12 plates in the collar, usually 9 to 11. Scales of nearly 

 equal size on the back and sides, dorsals rhombic-hexagonal to roundish, 

 strongly keeled, 38 to 49 across the middle of the body, 20 (?) to 35 

 ( (J ) transverse series on the back corresponding to the length of the 

 head. Ventral plates in 6 or 8 series ; if in 8, outer plates very small ; 

 24 to 30 transverse series in males, 27 to 30 in females. Preanal plate 

 bordered by two, exceptionally by one, semicircles of small plates. 12 

 to 22 femoral pores on each side, usually 15 to 19. 23 to 30 lamellar 

 scales uuder the fourth toe, usually 25 to 28. Upper caudal scales 

 usually pointed behind f ; 30 to 44 scales in the fourth or fifth whorl. 

 The coloration varies greatly, but the young are always provided with 

 three light dorsal streaks. I will first describe the differences shown 

 by the young. 



A. (Eutshuk, Smyrna, Angora and Shiraz.) Olive or brown 

 above, with 3 white or greenish-white streaks along the back and one 

 on each side from the upper lip, through the tympanum, to the base of 

 the hind limb. In the three Smyrna specimens and in that from Eut- 

 shuk the vertebral streak does not reach the occiput and in the two 

 from Angora it bifurcates just before reaching the occiput. The type 

 figured by Eichwald, a half-grown female, is represented as brown, 

 likewise with 5 white streaks on the body, the vertebral extending to- 

 the occiput, and no white spots ; so are also females from Erivan, and 

 the half-grown female from Aschar-Ade Island, which I regard as 

 representing L. strigata in the narrowest sense. 



I am indebted to M. L. Lantz for photographs of young and half- 

 grown quinquelineated Caucasian specimens obtained by him at 

 Michrilowa (Borshom) and near Jevlaka. 



B. (Helenendorf.) Like the preceding, but the vertebral streak 

 extends to the occiput, the lateral streak is partly broken up into- 

 spots, and there is a series of round white spots between it and the 

 dorso-lateral streak, whilst another extends along each side of the 

 belly. Such specimens cannot be distinguished, so far as colour and 

 markings are concerned, from the young L. agilis, var. exigua^ 

 occurring also in Transcaucasia. 



* In contact in a male from Taiirida, in a female from Aschar-Ade, in a young- 

 from Shiraz, in two young from Smyrna, and in four specimens from Erivan. 

 Curiously, Schreiber, in his key to the species of Lacerta (p. 382), gives 

 '' Tympanale vorhanden und mit dem letzten Supratemporale zusammenstossend "■ 

 as the only structural character by which to distinguish L. strigata from 

 i. viridis. 



t Obtusely in a specimen from Elisabethpol. 



