5 56 LACERTAE 



developed rows of ventral scales. Instead of being uniformly 

 green, the upper parts are usually spotted and verniiculated with 

 black ; sometimes, especially in the females, the black spots have 

 a white ocellus in the centre. The under parts are yellowish, 

 with or without black spots. The throat is blue. The young 

 look very different. They are olive-brown above with large 

 yellow, or bluish-white, black-edged ocelli on the side of the head 

 and body. 



Other forms, perhaps of sub-specific rank, approaching L. 

 ocellata, occur in the Balkan Peninsula, where, for instance in 

 Dalmatia, the typical L. viridis attains its most beautiful de- 

 velopment. 



L. ocellata, the Eyed Lizard, inhabits Spain and Portugal, 



Fig. 144. — Lacerta ocellata (the Eyed Lizard), x i. 



extending northwards into the South of Prance and into the 

 Eiviera, southwards into Morocco and Algeria ; these southern 

 forms (L. i^ter and L. tangitana) approach L. mriclis. The 

 Eyed Lizard is green or dark olive above, with black or yellowish 

 dots, which are sometimes combined into a kind of network 

 pattern. The under parts are uniformly greenish yellow. The 

 sides of the body are adorned with about two dozen blue, black- 

 edged spots or " eyes." The intensity of the blue and the depth 

 of the green ground-colour vary much according to sex, time of 

 the year, and state of health. Males during the breeding season 

 are most beautiful and brilliant. The occipital shield is broad ; 

 there are two superposed nasal but no tympanic shields. The 

 supraoculars are separated from the supraciliaries by a series of 

 granules. The collar is well marked, but not the gular fold. 



