208 G. A. BOULENGEK ON 



Head shields normal. 1 Nostril pierced between the nasal, one or two post- 

 nasals, and the first upper labial. LoAver eyelid scaly. Collar more or less distinct 

 or absent. Back with large plate-like subimbricate scales with strong keels forming 

 continuous lines; sides with small juxtaposed or granular scales; ventral plates more 

 or less imbricate, often pointed and keeled. Digits cylindrical or slightly compressed, 

 with smooth or somewhat tubercular lamellae inferiorly. Femoral pores reduced to 

 one l to three. Tail long or extremely long, cylindrical. 



Eastern Asia. 



The parietal foramen is constantly present and pterygoid teeth are absent or 

 reduced to 2 to 5. 



The term ' inguinal pores' has been universally used for the one or two pores on 

 each side of the prseanal region, as is the rule in this genus, and no exception could 

 be taken to this terminology were it not that when more than two pores are present, 

 the series extends on to the thigh. As the single pore is part of the series known as 

 femoral pores in the other Lacertidse it is more logical, in view of securing a uniform 

 terminology, to discard the term 'inguinal' and to express the state of things in 

 Tachydromus by saying that the series of femoral pores is reduced to one to three. In 

 several forms of Lacerta and Latastia, when the number of femoral pores falls very 

 low, the reduction takes place from the distal end of the thigh, thus leading to the 

 condition in Tachydromus, as specimens of Lacerta vivipara and Latastia longicaudata 

 with only five femoral pores show very clearly. It is also noteworthy that in the 

 African analogue of Tachydromus, Poromera, Blgr., the series of femoral pores, though 

 a long one, ends at some distance from the knee-joint. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. Head not more than if times as long as broad. 

 A. 4 supraoculars, first very small (rarely absent) ; 

 dorsal plates in 5 to 8 longitudinal series, ven- 

 trals in 8 or 10. 



1. 4 or 5 pairs of chin-shields (very rarely 3) ; 



ventral plates in 8 longitudinal series, feebly 



keeled or all except the outer smooth ; 29 to 40 



plates and scales round middle of body. 



Dorsal plates in 7 or 8 longitudinal series ; ventral 



plates in 22 to 28 transverse series ; 3 femoral pores 



on each side ; rostral in contact with frontonasal ; 



tail if to 2 \ times length of head and body . . 1. T. amurensis, Peters. 



Dorsal plates in 5 to 7 longitudinal series ; ventral 

 plates in 22 to 25 transverse series ; 2 (very rarely 3) 

 femoral pores on each side ; rostral nearly always in 



• i.e. a frontonasal, a pair of prefrontals, a frontal, a pair of frontoparietals, a pair of parietals, an interparietal, 

 and an occipital. 

 9 - Inguinal pore. 



