222 



SMOOTH-CRESTED LIZARD. 



than the rest, which pass over each eye; a sort of 

 ridge or prominent edge being continued from 

 those parts as in tlie Chameleon, towards the back 

 of the head, where they unite, and are continued 

 in form of a short denticulated crest, down the 

 middle of the back to the beginning of the tail, 

 which is much longer than the body. The body 

 is covered with moderately small acuminated 

 scales ; the limbs and tail with somewhat larger 

 ones. The colour of this Lizard is brown ; more 

 or less deep in different individuals, and clouded 

 or mottled with a few variegations of a still deeper 

 cast. It is a native of the island of Ceylon. 



SMOOTH-CRESTED LIZARD. 



Lacerta Principalis. L. cauda subcarinataj crista gulce integer 



rinea, dorso Icevi. Lin. Syst. Nat. p. 36'0. 

 Lizard with subcarinated tail, plain-edged gular crest, and 



smooth back. 



Lacerta Ceilonica maculis albis & nigris notata. Seb. 2. p. 32. 

 /.3. 



Le Large-Doigt. Cepede oup. p. 263. 



The L. Principalis is rather a small species, 

 scarce exceeding the length of eight or nine 

 inches from the nose to the extremity of the tail. 

 Its general form is rather slender ; the head small ; 

 the snout taper ; the back smooth, or destitute of 

 serratures, a sharpened carina only running along 

 the upper part of the tail : the throat is furnished 

 with a gular crest which is of a smooth or rounded 



