SAURIA. 33 



NiANS proper, is distinguished from the first by having teeth 

 in the palate. 



Iguana, Cuv. 



In Iguana, properly so called, the body and tail are covered 

 with small imbricated scales; along the entire length of the back, is 

 a range of spines, or rather of recurved, compressed, and pointed 

 scales; beneath the throat a pendent, compressed dewlap, the edge 

 of which is supported by a cartilaginous process of the hyoid bone; 

 a series of porous tubercles on their thighs as in the true Lizards; 

 the head covered with plates. Each jaw is surrounded with a row 

 of compressed, triangular teeth, whose cutting edge is denticulate; 

 two small rows of the same on the posterior edge of the palate. 



Ig. tuber culata, Laur.; Lac. Iguana, L.; Seb. I, xcv, 1, xcvii, 3, 

 xcviii, 1. (The Common American Iguana. )(l) Yellowish green 

 above, marbled with pure green; the tail annulated with brown; 

 preserved in alcohol it appears blue, changing to green and vio- 

 let, and dotted with black; paler beneath; a crest of large spini- 

 . form dorsal scales; a large round plate under the tympanum at 

 the angle of the jaws; sides of the neck furnished with pyramidi- 

 cal scales scattered among the others; anterior edge of the dewlap 

 denticulate like the back; from four to five feet in length: com- 

 mon in South America where its flesh is esteemed delicious, al- 

 though unwholesome, particularly for syphilitic patients. It 

 lives mostly on trees, occasionally visits the water and feeds on 

 fruit, grain, and leaves; the female lays her eggs in the sand, 

 they are the size of those of a Pigeon, agreeable to the taste and 

 almost without white. 



VIguane ardoise, Daud.; Seb. I, xcv, 2, xcvi, 4. (The Slate- 

 coloured Iguana.) A uniform violet blue, paler beneath; the 

 dorsal spines smaller; otherwise, similar to the preceding, both 

 of them having an oblique whitish line on the shoulder. The 

 latter is from the same country as the former, and is probably 

 a mere variety of age or sex.(2) 



Ig. nudicollis, Cuv.; Mus. Besler. tab. XIII, f. 3; Ig. delicatis- 

 sima^ Laur., resembles the common one, particularly in its dor- 

 sal crest, but has no infra-tympanal plate, nor the scattered tu- 



(1) The Mexicans call it Aquaguetzpallia, Hernand. ; the Brazilians, Senembi, 

 Marcgr. 



(2) I have every reason to think that this same conclusion should be extended 

 to the Iguanas of Spix, pi. v, vi, vii, viii, and ix: they seem to me to be nothing 

 more than various ages of the common species. 



Vol. II. E 



