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Show 1884.] or L A C E R T A VIRIDIS FROM SOUTH PORTUGAL. 419 believed, but constituted a distinct form, intermediate between latter and L. viridis, which he named L. ocellata pater. H e showed that the occipital is smaller than in L. ocellata, the dorsal scales more oval, and sometimes slightly keeled, and the ocelli, which are constantly present in the young, frequently disappear in the adult. The discovery of these two forms had already considerably diminished the gap separating L. ocellata from L. viridis; but forms which would fill the interval remaining between the latter and L. schreiberi and pater were still missing. As one of these I regard the Lizard discovered by Dr. Gadow. The general proportions and lepidosis being the same as in the typical L. viridis (from France and Italy), I will only mention the distinctive peculiarities, at the same time drawing attention to the points in which the new variety approaches the other allied forms. The occipital is considerably larger, nearly as long as, and broader than, the interparietal; its shape is trapezoid, its smaller border forming a suture with the latter ; in two specimens this suture has entirely disappeared and the two plates are united. Another anomaly, occurring in three out of the four specimens, is the presence of an azygos shield between the prefrontals. In the young, as in other Lizards, the interparietal is relatively much enlarged, especially transversely, so that it considerably exceeds in size, and equals in width, the occipital. W e know that in the very young L. ocellata the interparietal exceeds in size the occipital, aud nearly equals it in width, whereas in the adult the occipital is many times larger than the interparietal and at least three times as broad. In L. pater, when young, the interparietal also exceeds the occipital in size and is as broad or a little narrower ; when adult, the occipital is much larger than the interparietal and twice as broad. In L. schreiberi, which, if adult, must be regarded as a form with arrested development, descended from L. ocellata or some close ally, the interparietal is very large, and the occipital short and only a little broader. When a large series of L. viridis is examined, we find great variation in the size and shape of the occipital, so that the character just insisted upon cannot be regarded as constantly distinguishing the new form ; however, it may be sufficient to distinguish it from the typical L. viridis as occurring in Spain. The dorsal scales are a little different from those of L. viridis, being smaller, less distinctly rhomboidal, more oval, and not so strongly keeled, all points in which they approach those of L. schreiberi. I count 111 to 116 scales along the middle of the back, from the occipital to the base of the tail, and 50 to 53 across the middle of the body; in L. viridis typus I obtain the numbers 100 to 103 and 41 to 45. However, some Oriental specimens of L. viridish&xe also smaller scales, viz. 125 longitudinally and 50 transversely, but then they are of a different shape, being but a little longer than broad; and it is probable that the Oriental small-scaled L. viridis, when properly worked out, will prove to constitute a distinct race. |
