COSYMBOTUS 61 



Variation. — The lamellae under the longest toe vary from seven 

 to ten; under shortest toe from four to six; usually the basal 

 lamella is single. The upper labials vary from nine to twelve, 

 ten being the usual number; lower labials seven to nine, 

 seven being the usual number. The chin shields are sometimes 

 followed by a pair of slightly enlarged scales which might be 

 considered a third pair of chin shields ; the second pair of chin 

 shields is sometimes in contact with the labials, sometimes not; 

 the distance between scales of the second pair of chin shields 

 varies, but they are never in contact. The width and thickness 

 of tail vary, as does the width of the transverse plates below. 

 Femoral pores vary between seventeen and twenty-one on each 

 side ; twenty is the usual number. 



The usual marking of this species is a broad dark line from 

 snout through eye involving ear, and continuing to base of tail, 

 the upper edge of which is broadly dovetailed with the lighter 

 dorsal color; the ground color is drab, minutely speckled with 

 black, and there are two rows of narrow, elongate, rectangular 

 blackish spots from neck to base of tail, usually five present in 

 each row ; the tail is barred with narrow, transverse dark bands 

 edged with lighter behind. Regenerated tail wider, with a 

 broader fringe, the scales above irregularly shaped, and not 

 arranged in regular rows ; the transverse plates below are longer 

 and narrower. 



Remarks. — This species is more diurnal in habit and at the 

 same time more domestic than are the other house lizards. 

 I have never found a specimen away from the immediate locality 

 of human habitation. I failed to find it in the interior of Min- 

 danao. These facts point, I believe, to its comparatively recent 

 introduction into the Islands, probably with the early Malay mi- 

 grations, if not later. In a house in which I lived in Hinigaran, 

 Negros, the species was incredibly numerous. Three specimens 

 that lived on the undersurface of the dining table were accus- 

 tomed to appear aboveboard during the meal and would eagerly 

 seize small pieces of bread tossed to them. Sometimes they 

 would approach one's fingers and seize the piece held. 



In the Philippines the species is well distributed along coasts 

 and in older communities at some distance from the coast. I 

 have examined some three hundred specimens from about twenty- 

 seven localities. 



This species is widely distributed over the East Indian Archi- 

 pelago and southern Asia. Barbour * has contributed the opinion 

 that the various dermal appendages in the geckos serve no useful 



* Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard Coll. 44 (1912) 81. 



