414 LOWER VERTEBRATES. 



The Australian inolocli, Moloch horridus, is one of the most reinilsive creatures of 

 nature. While many of our lizards are protected by thorny scales, and some of the 

 FJirijaosotnas have the head armed with horns, the moloch actually bristles with 

 strong, conical spikes, those surmounting the crown and those over the eyes being par- 

 ticularly long and stout. On the back of the neck is a large rounded protuberance 

 covered with spines and having the appearance of a second head. The larger spines 

 of the back and sides are simply conical growths of skin capped by a thin horny cover- 

 ing, and supported by surrounding dermal outgrowths of a similar nature, though 

 of smaller size. 



JJolejMs, a native of the Malay Peninsula and China, is represented by but a 

 single sjiecies, L. sulcatiis, which reaches a length of about twenty inches. The 

 genus is chai-acterized by having the tympanum naked ; the scales small and without 

 keels, the femoral pores present, and by having, and chiefly, the skin of the sides of 

 the body capable of ex]iansion into wing-like organs, which are supported by very 

 long anterior spurious ribs. When the animal is in a state of rc])ose, or is simply 

 wandering among the branches, these organs are appressed to the sides of the body 

 and ajipcar as mere longitudinal dermal folds. But when wishing to pass to some re- 

 mote position, or if merely agitated liy suilden fear or anger, the six anterior ribs, 

 which are greatly elongated, are brought forward, expanding the membranous skin, to 

 which the fore and hind limbs ai'c juxtajiosed, and the thus greatly expanded reptile 

 sails off to a neighlioring tree, as gracefully as the tiying-sijuirrel. These lizards are 

 naturally very active, and will defend themselves with tooth and nail on being cap- 

 tured. In confinement, however, they soon become tame, and feed on rice and soft 

 fruits. 



The genus Stellio has the tympanum naked and the body depressed ; the scales are 

 spiny on the tail and unequal in size. No pores are present. JS. tuherculatus inhabits 

 India, and is dusky brown above, speckled with black, and below whitish passing into 

 green on the throat. Tliey ha\e been found on the mountains of Thibet as high as 

 15,000 feet. Specimens over a foot in length are rare. S. vulgaris, called 'hardim' 

 by the Arabs, is found in those countries bordering on the eastern Mediterranean, and 

 is jjarticidarly abundant about the ruins of ancient buildings, where, during the 

 warmer portions of the day, they may be counted by the hundreds. They are always 

 busy, scrambling over the hot surfaces of the stones after flies and ants, only stopping 

 to nod their heads, — a habit, Ijy the way, which has resulted in the death of many an 

 innocent, the Moh.ammedans supposing that the rejitiles are mocking in derision their 

 form of worship. The hardims are of an olive-green color shaded with black, and 

 below a ])ale yellow. 



Tlie members of the family Icjuaxid.e are jiluroilont lizards confined to the 

 warmer jiortions of tlie New World. The bodv, in the more typical forms, is laterally 

 compressed and su])ported l:)y limbs which are designed for an arboreal life, though 

 forms like Phrj/nosoinu may be depressed and terrestrial, while othei's of different 

 habits may have the body adapted to an aquatic life. 



The genus Polijchriis has the quadrang\dar head covered with numerous appressed 

 shields; the back without a crest; the skin of the gullet compressed into a small 

 dewlap, and the body covered with smooth scales, which allow the changes in coloi'a- 

 tion below to be easily studied. P. marmoratns, the marbled Polychrus, inhabits 

 Brazil and Central America. 



The genus Jffiiana, the one most tyjiical of the family, has the head jiyramidal. 



