Annals op the Transvaal Museum. 
77 
A Key to the South African Species* of Geckonidae, Scincidae, 
Gerrhosauridae, and Lacertidae, together with some Notes 
on the Specific Characters and a Brief Summary of the 
Known Facts of their Distribution. 
By John Hewttt, B.A. (Cantab.), 
Assistant jor Lower Vertebrates. 
The following paper is based mainly on the extensive collections of the 
Transvaal Museum, but I am also greatly indebted to the authorities of 
all the other South African museums for the loan of material. The 
investigation was undertaken with two chief objects : (1) to ascertain the 
specific areas of distribution ; (2) to define the limits of the various species. 
As regards the facts of distribution I have made use of all the records in 
the literature listed in Ann. Trans. Mus., Vol. 2, No. 1, p. 35 (for a complete 
bibliography see Roux in Zool. Jahr, 1907, XXV), but I have not thought 
it necessary to quote every record, nor the authority for all records, except 
in cases of particular importance. The distribution of reptiles which are 
confined to South Africa is very ill-known, chiefly because this group has 
received but little attention from local workers ; in fact, so far as I know, 
only one extensive list of local reptiles has been published in South Africa 
(Ann. Natal Govt. Mus., Vol. 1, Part 3), 
The question of the range of variation within a species could not be 
fully dealt with, mainly because of inadequacy of material, but there is 
sufficient evidence to show that South Africa has been credited with more 
reptiles than it really possesses, for in some cases so-called species are 
merely geographical varieties, whilst others represent nothing more than 
individual variations ; the latter class must, of course, be abolished, but 
fairly well-marked geographical varieties may be entitled to stand for 
convenience sake, even though an occasional intermediate should appear. 
The descriptions and keys employed here are mainly founded on those 
of the British Museum Catalogues. 
GECKONIDAE. 
1. Chondrodactylus. 
Tubercles on supraorbital edge enlarged, separated from those on the 
other side by two (or only one) series of tubercles ; the body covered 
dorsally with irregular flat granules and round keeled tubercles ; horizontal 
diameter of eye equal to length of eleven or twelve scales on middle of 
belly. 
Light grey-brown above, with five blackish angular transverse bands 
on the back, and sometimes round white spots on the sides of the body ; 
a dark median longitudinal streak on the nape, and an oblique dark band 
from the eye towards the latter. * C. angulijer Pet. 
Differing from angulifer thus : — 
Tubercles on supraorbital edge scarcely enlarged, separated from 
those on the other side by three series of tubercles in the middle ; enlarged 
* For a key to the genera of the S. African lizards, see Annals Trans. Mus., vol. 2, No. 1, p. 38, 
