LIZARDS 6i 



pugnacious, and fight with much courage with those of 

 their brethren that presume to poach upon their preserves. 

 The genus Chlamydosaurus, of Austraha, is represented 

 by a single species, Chi. kingii, the Frilled Lizard, which 

 is remarkable on account of its possessing a large frill- 

 like expansion on each side of the neck, confluent with the 

 throat, which, when fully expanded, almost completely 

 surrounds the head. The expansion is accompanied by 

 the opening of the mouth, the two actions corresponding, 

 neither being exercised independently of the other, and 

 the relative elevation of the frill is in direct proportion 

 with the gape of the mouth, giving the creature, when the 

 frill is fully extended, a most ferocious appearance. The 

 use of this frill is undoubtedly to frighten away its enemies, 

 and it is only erected when the animal is on the defensive, 

 for when at rest, as in the case of the " wings " of the 

 Flying Lizards, it is folded along the sides of the body. 

 The action is merely a piece of " bluff," for in reality, 

 in spite of its formidable appearance, this lizard is very 

 harmless, and seldom makes any attempt to bite. The 

 Frilled Lizard is further remarkable for its habit of running 

 along the ground on its hind limbs, in a perfectly upright 

 position, with its tail elevated clear of the ground, and, as 

 pointed out by Saville-Kent, who was able to confirm 

 previous reports as to this habit, the tracks left behind, 

 when passing over soft soil, correspond to those of a bird, 

 for only the three central digits rest on the ground when 

 it assumes an upright position. This lizard, which attains 

 a maximum length of three feet, lives in woods, where it 

 feeds almost exclusively on insects ; captive specimens 

 have been known to accept meat. 



