1870.] Reptilia and Amphibia from Central India. 369 



I find it also employed by Dr. Gray (Cat. Eept. Brit. Mus. 

 p. 231) in characterizing the genus, the scales of the tail being said 

 to be arranged in rings. In my specimens, on the contrary, the caudal 

 scales are unmistakeably imbricate, as much so as in Calotes versi- 

 color. In the very careful and detailed description inDumeril and 

 B i b r o n,* IV, p. 486, not a word is said of rings on the tail, nor is 

 this character mentioned by Dr. J e r d o n, Cat. Eept. J. A. S. B. 

 XXII, p. 475, and in specimens from the Nilgiris, formerly presented 

 to the Society's collection by Mr. Theobald, I find that al- 

 though the caudal scales are partly in rings, the annulation is 

 often ill-marked and irregular and never appears to resemble the 

 very characteristic arrangement seen in Stellio. Major Bed- 

 dome also, to whom I wrote on the subject, informs me that in 

 specimens in his possession the scales on the tail are subimbricate. 

 I conclude that this character is variable, and that the individual 

 specimens in the British Museum described by Drs. Gray and 

 G ii n t h e r exhibit it in a more marked manner than usual. 



The genus CJmrasm is in fact little more than a sub-genus of 

 Agama, distinguished by the absence of prseanal pores. f It is one 

 of the forms with African affinities which are so common and 

 widely spread in India proper, and which serve to distinguish its 

 fauna from that of the countries lying east of the Bay of Bengal. 



The coloration and habits of Charmia dorsalis have been well 

 described by Dr. Jerdonl. c. I have repeatedly seen and 

 secured specimens with the head a brilliant scarlet above and on 

 the sides, a black streak from the nostril through the lower eyelid 

 and over the tympanum passing into the black of the sides of the 

 neck, chin red marbled with dusky, just as in Stellio cyanogaster 

 blue and grey are intermingled, back dull rufous becoming ashy 

 behind and slightly mottled with grey and dusky, sides, belly and 

 limbs blackish excepting some orange spots along the sides. 



These brilliant colours are seasonal and confined to the males as 



* I am equally unable with Dr. Gray, Cat. Repfc. Brit. Mus. p. 246, to find 

 anything corresponding with the " 6 a 10 ecailles crypteuses de forme lhora- 

 boidale" said by M. M. D u m e r i 1 and Bibrou to occur in male specimens 

 on the edge of the anus, and to be arranged in oblique and crossed series. 



f I recently described an Agama (A. annectans) from Abyssinia with the 

 caudal scales in rings (Obs. Geol. & Zool. Abyss, p. 446.) 



