REPTILIA. 
7 
an a PProach to the mixture of red and black described by Pallas. It is true that these red 
colours are probably seasonal, and that they tend to disappear in spirits, but the colouration 
ln t]l p specimens before me is so well preserved, that it would be surprising if no trace of red 
Remained in any of them, and they were collected at various seasons, some in autumn, others 
111 spring and early summer. 
I am unable to find Pallas’ figure of Lacerta caudivolvula, but there are two figures of the 
species, both accompanied by descriptions, by Eversman 1 and Eichwald. 2 These figures I have 
compared with the Tibet P hryn ocepha lus, and I find both agree with Pallas’ description of 
• caudivolvulus, and differ from _P. theobaldi. It is true that Eversman gives the length of the 
^ody as 1 inch 11 lines and of the tail 2 inches 1 line, but his figure shows a longer tail than this, 
Eichwald gives the lengt lis of the body and tail respectively as 1 inch 8 lines and 2 inches 5 
urns, a proportion of 5 : 7’5. Eichwald describes the tail as having black rings towards the end, 
le interspaces below being red; Eversman merely says that there are black bands on the lower 
N m (ace of the tail towards the extremity, with red interspaces. A comparison of Eversman’s 
01 Eichwald’ s figure with Steindachner’s bears out the view I have expressed of the species 
1 presented being distinct. 
Eumoril and Bibron 3 appear to me to have described a different species from Pallas’, 
Under the name of Phrynocephalus caudivolvulus. The tail is said to be but little longer than 
e | 3 °dy, and to be black at the end, with blackish spots along the sides of the remaining 
portion, and the ventral scales are said to be keeled, whereas Pallas, Eversman and Eichwald 
esci ’ibe them as smooth. Dumeril and Bibron’s description agrees, except in having the 
V( mtral scales keeled, with P. theobaldi. Now, the specimen described by the Erench her- 
petologists came from Berlin, and was very probably identical with that compared with the 
met P hrynoccphalus by Professor Peters. 4 
But what especially guides me in rejecting Pallas’ name for the Tibet Phrynocephalus 
*. S Eiat name itself, and the circumstance from which it was derived. Pallas says “ percepto 
r "" (:0 caudam coloratam versus dorsum in spiram promptissime revolvit, quod in nulla alia 
^di” Now, there are two groups of Phrynocephali, to one of which belong P. olivieri 5 
Cq .j ~f‘ persicus 6 ; both of these I have seen alive in large numbers, and I never yet saw one 
j. 1 Es tail, whilst to the other belongs P. nwculatus 1 and a species to be described immo- 
a f l>oth of which have been observed, the latter by Stoliczka, the former by myself, to have 
la coiling their tails. These last are much smoother, as a rule, than the Phrynocephali 
of ^ ormer group, and their tail is much longer, whilst in P. maculates the under surface 
Za ta '^’ w ^en alive, is frequently red in part. I think it is to this group that the true 
In ccm divolvula must belong, whilst P. theobaldi certainly belongs to the former group. 
Theobald’s very good account of the habits of the present species 8 which he obtained 
g, .. Tso-Morari in Piupsliu, he makes no mention of having seen it coil its tail, nor does 
q Cz Ea notice any such habit, although he especially describes it in the case of the other 
*estan species, and gives a sketch in his diary of the appearance presented. 
* Lacerta Imperii Rossici, Nouv. Mem. Soc. Imp. Nat. Moscou, iii, p. 362, PI. xxxii, fig. 2. 
Fauna Caspia Caucasia, Nouv. Mem. Soc. Imp, Nat. Mosc., vii, p. 107, PI. xii, figs. 6, 7, PI. xiii, figs. 9—14. 
Er P- Gen., iv, p. 522. 
I Gunther : Eept. Brit. Ind., p. 161. 
, Bibr. : Eip. Gen. iv, p. 617 Eastern Persia, ii, p. 327. 
7 e ? *lippi: Archiv. Zool. Genova, ii, p. 387 ; — Eastern Persia, ii, p. 329. 
B “- nd «son: Proc. Zool. Soc., 1872, p. 388;— Eastern Persia, ii, p. 331. 
J °ur. As. Soc. Bengal, 1862, xxxi, p. 518. 
