Lacerta. 303 



If times as long as broad, usually not in contact with the upper 

 postocular, outer border convex, or oblique in front, where it forms 

 a suture with the upper temporal, but not concavely emarginate ; 

 occipital constantly broader than the interparietal, sometimes broader 

 than the frontal, at least as long as the interparietal in males, usually 

 shorter in females. Of the two major supraoculars, the first is 

 usually the longer; fourth supraocular usually in contact with the 

 upper temporal* ; 5 to 7 superciliaries, first usually longest ; suture 

 between the first and second nearly as often oblique as vertical; a 

 series of granules between the supraoculars and the superciliaries, the 

 series complete or the first or first and second superciliaries in contact 

 with the supraoculars. 



Eostral entering the nostril, usually largely ; two superposed post- 

 nasals t ; two loreals, first shorter than second. 5, rarely 4 or 6 J 

 upper labials anterior to the subocular, the lower border of which is 

 usually much shorter than the upper. Temporal scales granular, 

 about as large as the dorsal scales or a little larger; a large or very 

 large masseteric shield § ; tympanic shield distinct ; a large upper 

 temporal, followed by a row of very small shields or mere granules. 



Pterygoid teeth usually present. 



18 to 24 scales and granules in a straight line between the 

 symphysis of the chin-shields and the median collar-plate; gular 

 fold distinct ; collar with even or feebly serrated edge, composed of 

 9 to 13 plates (exceptionally 7). 



Scales on body juxtaposed, oval or hexagonal, keeled, the keel 

 usually stronger in males than in females, rather smaller on the 

 sides than on the back; minute granules in the interstitial skin||; 

 49 to 64 scales (usually 50 to 58) across the middle of the body, 

 3 or 4 transverse series, on the sides, corresponding to a ventral plate, 

 33 to 55, in the middle of the back, corresponding to the length 

 of the head. Ventral plates in 6 longitudinal series, or if in 81[ 



* 16 exceptions out of 140 cases. 



1 1 have come across 2 exceptions only, in a male from Damascus, which has 

 a single postnasal on the right side, and in another from Sidon, in which it is 

 so on both sides. 



J 4 in 15 oases out of 140, 6 in 3 cases. 



§ Only two exceptions ; in a female from Damascus, in which the shield is 

 hardly distinct on the right side, and in another from the Nahr Kadischa, in 

 which it is disintegrated on both sides. 



II As first pointed out by Bedriaga ; these accessory granules are to be found 

 in nearly all species of Lacerta, when the skin is distended, and they are more 

 distinct stiU in L. jayaTtari. 



^ In two male specimens from Damascus ; these outer plates about half the 

 width of those of the third series from the middle line. 



