Lacerta. 161 



The coloration varies much according to individuals. Females and 

 young are beautifully striped with dark brown or black, some 

 specimens may well be described as black above with 5 or 6 light 

 longitudinal streaks or even 7 in front (5 on the nape as in 

 Acanthodactylus vulgaris). The adult female may be of a reddish 

 brown, with two broad blackish bands along each side, the outer 

 proceeding from the eye, these bands bordered above and below by a 

 narrow white streak and separated from each other by a third light 

 streak (proceeding from the superciliary edge), which is pale yellow or 

 pale green ; one or two small round blue spots above the axil ; hind 

 limbs with round light spots edged with blackish ; lower parts white 

 or pale yellow, often tinged with rosy or lilac on the sides. Traces of 

 the striation may persist in some adult males, or may disappear 

 entirely, the back being uniform brownish or dull green, with small 

 blackish spots or vermicular lines on the sides. In the breeding 

 male the top of the head is a reddish brown, sharply contrasting with 

 the green of the nape, which gradually fades to olive or brown on the 

 posterior part of the body ; the sides of the head and body and the 

 lower parts of a bright vermilion-orange, relieved by a patch of azure- 

 blue in the axillary region and a broad band of the same colour 

 occupying the outer row of ventral shields and extending a little way 

 up the scaly part of the side. Some males may have a pattern of 

 markings not unlike that of L. taurica, but with a blackish vertebral 

 stripe on the anterior part of the back ; this stripe may be divided by a 

 light streak on the nape. 



Measurements (in millimetres) ; 



