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Show 638 MR. STANLEY S. FLOWER ON THE [May 16, 59. ACANTHOSAURA CAPRA Gfinth. Acanthosaura capra, Blgr. Cat. Liz. i. p. 300. Only known from the type specimens collected by M . Mouhot at Chantaboon, and now in the British Museum. Hab. Siam. 60. ACANTHOSAURA ARMATA Gray. Lophyrus armatus, Cantor, p. 32. Acanthosaura armata, Blgr. Cat. Liz. i. p. 301, pl. xxii. fig. 1. Of this remarkable-looking lizard I obtained two specimens during March and April, 1898, in Penang, one in a valley and one at 2200 feet elevation in the hills. Cantor writes of it-" At Pinang this species appears to be very local, and not numerous; two individuals were obtained from spice plantations in the valley. They were very active and fierce, possessed iD a slight degree the power of changing the ground-colour to a light hue, and in captivity refused food and water." One specimen I kept alive for a short time, however, seemed to have considerable power of changing its colours. The male when angry distends its gular pouch. In the British Museum are specimens from Gen. Hardwicke's collection labelled Singapore; but one cannot help feeling doubtful of some of the localities of Hardwicke's specimens, and it seems strange that in an island so well known as Singapore, and constantly visited by collectors, this lizard should not have been again secured. M. Mouhot obtained A. armata at Chantaboon, and I have seen a specimen that was shot there in July 1896. Colour (in life). Upper surfaces-head chestnut, remainder blackish green, a transverse black band in the interval between the cervical and dorsal crests, continued forward over the shoulders; body, limbs, and tail with numerous spots, some of which are clear sky-blue; about seven black fines radiate from the eye. Lower surfaces yellow, tinged with reddish-orange on the chest. Gular pouch pale lilac, in the male. Tongue and inside of mouth bright orange-colour. Iris brown with a narrow golden ring. Size. The Chantaboon specimen when stuffed measured 236 m m. in total length (snt. to vnt. 110 ; tail 126). The Penang ones when fresh were :- Sex 3. $. mm. mm. Total length 208 259 Snout to vent 91 116 Tail 117 (tip broken) 143 Supraocular spine 9*25 9*5 Supertympanic spine 9*3 8*2 Longest nuchal spine 11 11 Hab. Tenasserim, Siam, Cochinchina, and Malay Peninsula. |