66 AMEIVASEX-LINEATA. 



General Remarks. Tliis animal was certainly first described by Linnseus, 

 under the name Lacerta sex-lineata, from a specimen sent him by Dr. Garden, of 

 Charleston, who furnished him with numerous rare specimens of plants and animals 

 from Carolina. He observes of it, "Femora postice, ordine papillari ut in Ameiva." 

 It is impossible at this time to understand what led him to consider this animal 

 as the Lion Lizard of Catesby, (vol. ii. tab. 68,) with which it agrees neither in 

 colour, habits, nor geographical distribution. The Lion Lizard is of a "uniform 

 gray colour, streaked with lines of a lighter gray;" — "it frequents the rocks on the 

 coasts of Cuba and Hispaniola, and is often the prey of sea-gulls." It is remarkable 

 that most Naturalists since Linnseus have copied tliis error, and given the same 

 reference. 



The habits of the Ameiva sex-lineata closely approximate it to the true Lizards, 

 of which we have none in the United States, and it may fairly be considered 

 their representative here. It differs from Lacerta in several parts of its organiza- 

 tion — as in wanting palatme teeth, and a bony plate to the orbit, &c., which structure 

 brings it within the genus Ameiva. 



