ENOPLIA. 



SUB-CLASS I. ENOPLIA. 



(^Mailed Reptiles.) 



The Mailed or true Reptiles are principally 

 distinguished by having the body encased in a 

 series of plates of various degrees of hardness, 

 sometimes imbedded, like stones in a pavement, 

 into compact shields, at others forming overlap- 

 ping scales, and yet again constituting a granular 

 or tuberculous shagreen. In many particulars 

 their anatomical organization is of a higher grade 

 than that of the Amphibia ; they have perfect 

 ribs ; and the occipital condyle, or joint by which 

 the skull is connected with the spinal column, is 

 single. They are subject to no metamorphosis, 

 but are evolved from the eofor in the form of the 

 parents : gills (JbranchicE) are never present in any 

 stage, but respiration is performed entirely by 

 means of lungs. The economy of. reproduction 

 partakes of the characters of that of Mammalia 

 and Birds, and not that of Fishes ; the eggs 

 are always furnished with a calcareous covering, 

 either shelly or coriaceous in texture. 



The Enoplia are divided into four Orders, 

 founded on diversities of form, the presence or 

 absence of limbs, and the character of the mailed 

 covering. These are named Testudinata, Lorl- 

 cata, Sauria, and Ophidia. 



