Laeerta. 113 



distinct. Collar with more or less strongly serrated edge,* formed of 

 6 to 10 plates, the median usually the largest, the outer passing 

 gradually into the scales. 



Dorsal scales rhomboidal or squarish, oblique, more or less strongly 

 and diagonally keeled, a little larger than the laterals, which are less 

 distinctly keeled ; 44 to 52 scales across the middle of the body ; 23 to 

 27 transverse series, in the middle of the back, correspond to the 

 length of the head, 2 or 3 on the sides to the length of one ventral 

 plate. Ventral plates in 8 or 10 longitudinal series, those of the 

 second, or second and third series from the median line a little broader 

 than the others, the outermost narrow ; 26 to 28 transverse series in 

 males, 28 to 30 in females. Preanal plate rather small, bordered by 

 2 or 3 semicircles of small plates. 



Scales on upper surface of tibia keeled, much smaller than dorsals. 

 17 to 23 femoral pores on each side, usually 18 to 21. 24 to 30 

 lamellar scales under the fourth toe. 



Caudal, scales oblique and strongly keeled above, truncate or 

 obtusely pointed behind, in alternately longer and shorter whorls ; 26 

 to 30 scales in the fourth or fifth whorl behind the postanal granules. 



The coloration, in females and young, is very similar to that of 

 L. galloti, from which some specimens are, in this respect, indistin- 

 guishable. The upper parts vary from yellowish grey to dark grey 

 or olive. Some specimens are striated, a light, sometimes dark-edged 

 streak extending from the superciliary border to the base of the tail, 

 where it breaks up into spots, and another from below the eye, through 

 the middle of the tympanum, to the anterior side of the thigh, re- 

 appearing on the base of the tail ; between the dorsal streaks, and 

 between these and the lateral streaks, two or four series of small 

 ocellar spots may be present, those on the sides often blue ; also a 

 series of blue spots on each side of the belly. Head speckled with 

 brown. Limbs with ocellar spots. Lower parts white ; a A- or A- 

 shaped black or bluish grey marking on the throat, or throat grey or 

 blue with a dark band following the chin-shields. Other small 

 specimens lack the streaks or show mere traces of them and the body 

 is spotted or marbled with dark brown, with 6 or 6 blue ocelli on 

 each side. Sometimes the dark brown spots form two stripes on the 

 back, enclosing small light ocellar spots. Adult males are dark olive 

 or dark brown to blackish above, uniform or with numerous small 

 ocellar spots on the back and two series of large blue ocelli on the 

 sides ; head marbled with black, or black with light variegations 



* In exceptional cases, according to Steindachner, the collar shows no trace 

 of serration. 



