298 ANGUIDE. 
Strauch, Erp. Alg. p. 46; Leydig, Deutschl. Saur. p. 242; Fatto, 
Vert. Suisse, iii. p. 103; De Betta, Fain. Ital., Rett, Anf. p. 38 ; 
Schreib. Herp. Eur. p. 341; Lataste, Herp. Gir. p. 99. 
Anguis eryx, Linn. 1. e.; Daud. 1. e. p. 887. 
lineata, Law. 1. ¢. p. 68; Krynicki, 1. c. p. 54. 
—— clivica, Laur. J. c. p. 69. 
Eryx clivicus, Daud. l. c. p. 281. 
Anguis cinereus, Risso, Hist. Nat. Eur. Meér. iii. p. 89. 
bicolor, Zesso, U. ¢. 
Siguana ottonis, Gray, Griff. A. K. ix, Syn. p. 74. 
Anguis besseri, Andrzej. Nouv, Mém. Soc. Nat. Mose. ii. 1832, p. 338, 
pls. xxii. fig. 7, and xxiv. 
incerta, Arynichi, L. c. p. 52, pl. i. 
Dorfia punctata, Gray, Ann. N. I. ii. 1839, p. 334. 
Otophis eryx, var. colchica, Demid. Voy. Russ. Mér. iii. p. 341, pl. v. 
Anguis orientalis, Anders. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1872, p. 376; Blanf. Zool. 
LL, Persia, p. 394. 
Frontal large, its anterior angle wedged in between a pair of 
prefrontals ; an azygos prefrontal in front of the latter, separated 
from the nasal by two small shields; one or two small azygos 
shields behind the very small rostral; nasal very small, separated 
from the latter by one shield; labials and loreals small, numerous ; 
interparietal as long as and broader than the parietals and in contact 
with a small occipital; a small frontoparietal between the supra- 
oculars and the interparietal, and a larger shield between the supra- 
oculars and the parietal; supraoculars five or six. Ear-opening 
minute, usually hidden. Scales smooth, median dorsal and ventrals 
broad, hexagonal; twenty-four to twenty-eight scales round the 
middle of the body. Tail at least as long as the body. Young 
silvery above, with a black vertebral line; sides and lower surfaces 
blackish. In the adult these markings often disappear, or may be 
replaced by series of dark dots, and the colour of the upper surfaces 
becomes brown or bronzy. A variety (colchica), in which the ear- 
opening appears to be normally distinct, is distinguished by having 
scattered pale blue spots on the back. 
From snout to vent 195 millim; tail 230. 
Europe, Western Asia, Algeria. 
a, b-d. Ad. & her. Sweden. C. J. A. Thuden, Esq. [P.]. 
e. Ad. Bohuslan. Dr, A. W. Malm [P.]. 
f-l. Ad., her. & yg. Aberdeen. Dr. Brine [P.]. 
m. Yg. Ringwood. F. Bond, Esq. [P.]. 
n-o, Ad, Diisseldorf. W. F. Kirby, Esq. [P.]. 
p. Ad. Jura. H. Ling Roth, Esq. [P.]. 
g. Ad. France. 
r. Ad. Santiago, Galicia. M. V. L. Seoane [P.]. 
3, t-u. Ad., hgr. & yg. Oporto. EK. Allen, Esq. [P.}. 
ie Ad. & yg. — Italy. J.J. Bianconi pt 
z. Ad. —P 
u, Skeleton, af 
