THE FAUNA OF A DESERT TRACT IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 191 



and that one of these Lizards betrayed them to their enemies by standing above and 

 nodding- its head in their direction. 



Mabuia bibronii. 



This Skink is generally reckoned scarce in collections, but it is extremely abundant, 

 together with Sitana ponticeriana, on the sands of Ramanad, especially on the shore at 

 Pamben. It progresses very rapidly, carrying its body low and making as much use in 

 progression of its tail as of its legs. It is one of the few Skinks with which I am acquainted 

 in which the young are not more conspicuously marked than the adults. Small indivi- 

 duals, which may have been recently born or hatched, were common in August and 

 closely resembled the adults. The adult males had a band of reddish brown running 

 along the side which was absent from the females. Males of Lygosoma sikkimense ob- 

 tained from Darjeeling in April had a very similar distinction. 



In several examples a third lobule, smaller than either of the two normally present, 

 occurred at the anterior edge of the ear-opening on one side (never on both sides) of the 

 head. Very possibly the function of the unusually long lobules in this species is to prevent 

 grains of sand from coming in contact with the tympanic membrane, which is protected or 

 entirely covered in other sand-loving skinks, notably in those of the genus Scincus and 

 Ophiomorus. 



Lygosoma punctatum. 



A single specimen was brought to me in the town of Ramanad. 



Chameleon calcaratus. 



Common in Ramanad, especially on Tamarind trees. 



Under natural conditions the Indian Chameleon does not possess the same powers of 

 colour-change as Ch. vulgaris. When undisturbed it is of a bright green colour, with a 

 variable number of large pale-yellow spots and blotches on the sides, the midventral line 

 from the chin to the vent, the soles of the feet, the gape and a line drawn backwards from 

 it along the side of the head, and a horizontal bar behind the axilla being of the latter 

 shade, as well as a suffusion on the sides of the throat immediately behind the head. 

 When the animal is interfered with, the pale spots on the sides disappear and the whole 

 head and body become blotched and marbled with dark green, the body being at the same 

 time distended. In this condition the Chameleon attempts vigorously to bite, and even sits 

 up on its hind legs, clutching at its adversary with its hands and hissing viciously. In 

 captivity it becomes much paler in colour and loses its power of changing to a great 

 extent. Narcotized specimens become almost black, as captive individuals frequently do 

 during cold weather. The pale midventral line, however, never disappears. Young 

 individuals, of four inches long, resemble adults as regards colour. 



I am inclined to think that this species moves less deliberately than the North African 

 form, and makes less use of its tail in progression. Although the tail is occasionally 

 twined round a branch, it is just as frequently held coiled in a spiral beside the branch. 

 A large male, obtained at Kilakarai, had lost the greater part of its tail by some accident. 



