270 " THE IGUANA. 



rustic plot it still takes its place with the flowers which the poet Clare 



describes : — 



"And where the marjoram once, and sage, and rue, 

 And balm, and mint, and curl'd-lcaf parsley grew; 

 And double marigolds and silver thyme. 

 And pumpkins 'neath the window used to climb. 

 And whei-c I often when a child for hours 

 Tried through the pales to get the tempting flowers. 

 As lady's laces, everlasting peas. 

 True love lies bleeding with the hearts at ease; 

 And golden rods and tansy running high. 

 That o'er the pale top smiled on passer by. — 

 Flowers in my time that every one would praise. 

 Though thrown like weeds from gardens now-a-days." 



In the moist ditch, from amid thick downy leaves, the Mullein raises its 

 spike of pale yellow flowers, and the scarlet Pimpernel, {Anagallis arvensis,) 

 the Poppy, (Papaver rhcEcis,) and spreading Mallow, (JMalva si/lvestris,) are 

 dotting the roadside with their blossoms. But the common must not be 

 forgotten: here the different species of Erica raise their purple waxen bells, 

 round wJiich with ceaseless never-tiring hum the Wild Bee floats, presenting 

 a lesson of industry that all should learn. 



Hackney, September Gth., 1852. 



TU% IGUANA, (IGUANA TUBERGULATA.) 



BY M. MAXWELL PHILIP, ESQ. 



Although the term ^'Iguana" is generally used as the generic name for 

 a whole family of Lizards, still in those countries themselves where this and 

 the other varieties of Saurians exist, the name "Iguana" is always understood 

 to designate but one particular sort of Lizard, while the other varieties of the 

 same family are distinguished by other terms. Whether it is from the hurry 

 that must always attend the observations of travellers, or the absence of 

 sufficient investigation, errors are still very common on the subject of the 

 Iguana. Some have described it as inhabiting trees; some have made it exceed- 

 ingly active in its habits; others again have confined it exclusively to a 

 terrestrial existence, and have entirely neglected to speak about its amphi- 

 bious nature — perhaps the most important point about it. It is possibly 

 from this cause that the naturalist who has never had the opportunity of 

 studying the Iguana in its own climate and medium of existence, still enter- 

 tains but very confused ideas in connexion with it. Unfortunately, too, the 

 great likeness which exists between the true "Iguana" and the species next 

 to it in gradation, and also the great ignorance of the local names by which 

 individuals of the same family are known, tend in a great measure to create 

 uncertainty and confusion. 



The Iguana is a large Lizard, peculiar to America. Scientifically described 

 it may be said to stand at the head of the second family of Lizards, to 

 which it has given name — the ^'Iguanidae," of the fourth family — Sauria, of 



