108 SAURIA. AGAMAD.E. 



" will be found in this Family. The Phrynosoma, 

 with its fat body and short tail, immediately re- 

 minds us of a toad. Megalochilus has much of 

 the same shape, but seems to have a large pair of 

 rounded ears standing out from the sides of the 

 head. Those of the sub-genera of Draco are most 

 extraordinary reptiles ; the Sitana has an enor- 

 mous pouch under the throat, which it can swell 

 out so as to appear like a Tetraodon, or porcupine 

 fish. Chlamydosaurus, again, is provided with an 

 immense fringe round the throat, perfectly re- 

 sembling the broad collars worn by ladies of the 

 present day. The flying lizards {Draco), how- 

 ever, even surpass these, for they possess a dis- 

 tinct pair of wings, attached to the sides of their 

 body, supported by rays, and capable of being 

 expanded or folded at pleasure. These extra- 

 ordinary reptiles, however, are by no means for- 

 midable ; they are all of a comparatively small 

 size, live in trees, and feed only upon insects. Of 

 their peculiar habits, however, in other respects, 

 we unfortunately are at present ignorant. There 

 can be no doubt that these wings are used to sup- 

 port them in the air, when leaping from bough to 

 bough, much in the same manner as the loose 

 skin that performs that oflice among the flying 

 squirrels."* 



The Agamad(^ are spread over both hemi- 

 spheres, but are most numerous in the tropical 

 regions of Asia and Africa. They feed chiefly on 

 insects, but some are said to be herbivorous ; and 

 seem to affect dry, stony places. 



* " Classification, of Reptiles," ii. l(il. 



